UC-NRLF 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


-  -  * 


COPYRIGHT    1897. 


THE  ROCK  OF  CHICKAMAUGA  : 


HE  HISTORY  OF 
OUR  COUNTRY 


FROM  THE  DISCOVERY  OF  .  .  .  . 
AMERICA  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME 


INCLUDING  A  COMPREHENSIVE  HIS 
TORICAL  INTRODUCTION,  COPIOUS 
ANNOTATIONS,  A  LIST  OF  AUTHOR 
ITIES  AND  REFERENCES,  ETC. 


PROFUSELY  AND  BEAUTIFULLY  ILLUSTRATED, 
MAPS,  CHARTS.  PORTRAITS,  FAMOUS  HISTORIC 
SCENES  AND  EVENTS,  AND  A  SERIES  OF 
BEAUTIFUL  POLYCHROMATIC  PLATES 


By  EDWARD  S.  ELLIS,  A.  M. 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  STANDARD  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES," 
•YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,"  "THE  ECLEC 
TIC  PRIMARY  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATORS 

C.  M.  Relyea,  H.  A.  Ogden,  J.  Steeple  Davis,  Warren  Sheppard, 
W.  H.  Lippincott,  A.  B.  Doggett,  De  Cost  Smith,  W.  P.  Snyder, 
Gilbert  Gaul,  W.  C.  Fitler,  C.  Kendrick,  Joseph  Gleeson,  and  others. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  SANDERSON  WHITTEN  CO. 
Los  ANGELES,  CAL. 


Qrtnftxm  b 

is  limited  to  five  hundred  copies,  of  which  this  is 


Copy  No. 


COPYRIGHT,  1895,  1896,  1897,  1898,  1899,  1900 
BY  HENRY  W.  KNIGHT 


All  Rights  and  Translations  Reserved. 


SPECIAL  NOTICE — The  Illustrations  In  this  volume  are  protected  by  copyright,  and 
they  must  not  be  reproduced  or  copied  without  written  permission  from  the  publishers. 
Disregard  of  this  warning  will  subject  the  offender  to  the  penalty  provided  by  law. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS,  VOLUME  II. 


Chapter  XXI. 

Chapter  XXII. 

Chapter  XXIII. 

Chapter  XXIV. 

Chapter  XXV. 

Chapter  XXVI. 


Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 
Chapter 


XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 

XXXIV. 

XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 


PAGE 

280 


The  Colonial  History  of  Georgia,  1733-1758 
French  Colonization  in  America,  1604-1759  .  297 
Young  Washington's  Journey  Through 

the  Wilderness ...  313 

Campaign  of  1755   (DuQuesne,  Louis- 
burgh  and  Lake  George)       .     .     .     .     .321 
Campaigns  of   1756-1757  (Oswego  and 

Fort  William  Henry) 340 

Campaigns  of  1758-1760  (Crown  Point, 

Ticonderoga  and  Quebec) 350 

Pontiac's  War,  1763-1764 372 

The  Colonies  and  Resisted  Taxation  in  1770  .  393 

The  Mutterings  of  War 404 

Events  of  1775 — Lexington  and  Concord  .  .  420 
Events  of  1775  (Concluded) — Bunker  Hill, etc.  434 
Events  of  1776 — Declaration  of  Independence  458 
Events  of  1777 — Burgoyne's  Campaign  .  .  479 
Events  of  1778 — Wyoming  and  Cherry  Valley  504 
Events  of  1779 — On  Land  and  Sea  .  .  .  .522 
Events  of  1780 — Campaign  of  the  South  .  .  548 
Events  of  1781  and  Close  of  the  War  .  .  .557 


LIST  OF  FULL  PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS, 
VOLUME  II. 

PAGE 

The  Rock  of  Chickamauga      .     .     . .    , Frontispiece 

The  Presidents  of  the  United  States  from  1789-1841 281 

Oglethorpe's  Interview  with  Tomo-Chichi 287 

The  Settlement  of  Kbenezer 290 

LaSalle  Takes  Possession  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  for  France     .  305 

The  Murder  of  LaSalle   .     .     .     .  _    ... 308 

Washington  and  Governor  Dinwiddie 318 

Washington's  First  Victory 325 

Washington  Attacking  the  French  in  the  Ravine         328 

The  Braddock  Massacre 333 

Montcalm  on  the  March 346 

Abercrombie's  Expedition  Against  Fort  Ticonderoga       .     .     .     .  355 

Red-hot  Shot 379 

United  States,  East  (Map) 384 

Indian  Strategy — The  Game  of  LaCrosse 387 

Pontiac  Delivering  the  Wampum  Belt 392 

Alamance  the  First  Battle  of  the  Revolution 413 

Delegates  Leaving  Carpenter's  Hall  after  a  Session 41 5 

Paul  Revere's  Ride        422 

The  British  Retreat  to  Boston 429 

Flags,  Uniforms,  etc.,  of  the  Revolution 434 

The  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill 443 

Signing  the  Declaration  of  Independence        449 

The  Death  of  Montgomery 457 

Boston,  with  its  Environs,  in  1775-1776 459 

The  Victory  at  Trenton 470 

The  Wyoming  Massacre .••.£.  -.     .  510 

Battle  of  Lake  Champlain .  .  .   •./  529 

The  Bonhomme  Richard  and  the  Serapis  .     .     ._,   '.     .    «     .     .  536 

Capture  of  Andre 552 

Revolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  Line  .    .     .     .    >         .     .     •     •     •     •  559 

The  Surrender  of  Yorktown       '.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     e  566 

The  Hyder  Ally  and  the  General  Monk 573 


CHAPTER    XXI 
.  THE  COLONIAL  HISTORY  OF  GEORGIA 

[Authorities:  Georgia,  the  last  of  the  thirteen  English  colonies  to  be  settled,  was 
founded  in  1733  by  an  English  army  officer,  named  Oglethorpe,  who  had  fought  in 
his  youth  in  the  East,  under  Prince  Eugene,  the  colleague  of  Marlborough.  The 
Colony  was  at  first  founded  on  a  semi-military  basis,  with  the  view  partly  of  establish 
ing  a  barrier  between  the  English  colonists  in  the  Carolinas  and  the  Spanish  and  In 
dians  in  Florida.  With  Oglethorpe  was  early  associated  the  philanthropist  preachers, 
Whitefield  and  the  two  Wesleys,  and  in  concert  with  them  he  sought  to  create  homes 
in  the  New  World  for  poor  imprisoned  debtors  in  England,  and  for  the  friendless 
and  destitute  classes  generally.  Savannah  was  settled  at  the  inception  of  the  colony, 
and  its  growth  was  much  helped  by  the  arrival,  in  1734,  of  a  number  of  Protestant  exiles 
from  Salzburg,  Germany,  as  well  as  by  contingents  of  Moravians  and  Scotch  High 
landers.  The  progress  of  the  settlement  was  on  the  whole,  however,  slow.  It  had  to 
contend  against  troubles  arising  out  of  the  undefined  boundary  between  the  Carolinas 
and  the  Spanish  possessions  to  the  south,  which  during  the  war  between  England  and 
Spain  led  Oglethorpe  to  fit  out  a  fruitless  expedition  against  St.  Augustine,  and  to 
equally  fruitless  reprisals  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards  of  Florida.  It  had  also  the  draw 
backs  incident  to  slave  labor  and  free  traffic  in  rum.  Georgia  became  a  royal  province 
in  1752.  The  chief  authorities  on  the  colony  are  Oglethorpe's  contemporary  account; 
the  lives  of  Oglethorpe,  by  Wright  and  by  Bruce;  and  the  histories  of  the  State  by 
Jones  and  by  Stephens.] 

[HE  reader  will  by  this  time  have  learned  the  most 
important  facts  concerning  the  settlement  of  each 
of  the  thirteen  original  colonies,  save  the  last — 
Georgia.  He  will  have  noticed  that  many  of  the 
people  who  came  across  the  Atlantic  and  found 
homes  in  the  New  World  did  so  to  escape  perse- 
cution  in  Europe.  The  Puritans  went  to  Massa 
chusetts  to  separate  themselves  from  English  Churchmen,  or,  more 
strictly  speaking,  from  the  obnoxious  ritual  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Established  Church.  Roger  Williams  and  his  friends  went  to 


COPYRIGHT   1898. 


John  Adams 
James  Monroe 
Andrew  Jackson 


George  Washington 
Thomas  Jefferson 


James  Madison 
John  Q.  Adams 
Martin  Van  Buren 


PRESIDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES— 1789  TO  1841 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL   HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


281 


Rhode  Island  to  get  away  from  the  Puritans.  The  Roman  Cath 
olics  found  shelter  and  safety  for  a  time  in  Maryland;  and  the 
Friends,  or  Quakers,  located  in  Pennsylvania  because  they  were 
persecuted  and  imprisoned  in  their  native  land.  And  so  when  we 
study  the  last  of  those  colonies,  the  fact  must  be  noted  that  it  was 
meant  to  be  an  asylum  for  those  who  found  little  or  no  religious 
freedom  and  tranquillity  at  home.  What  a  system  of  government  it 


PERIOD  n 


GOVERNOR  OQLETHORPE  IN  LATER  LIFE 

was  that  drove  Catholics,  Protestants,  and  Quakers  alike  out  of  the 
country  before  they  could  find  peace  for  their  minds  and  safety  for 
their  bodies ! 

One  of  the  most  oppressive  laws  ever  enforced  in  any  country 
was  that  which  permitted  one  man  to  put  another  in  prison  for  debt, 
and  keep  him  there  until  the  debt  was  paid.  More  often  it  was  the 
debt  of  Nature  that  was  paid.  Robert  Morris,  the  man  who  fur 
nished  Congress  and  Washington  with  the  money  to  carry  on  the 


SETTLE 
MENT 
1603 

TO 
1758 


Impris 
onment 

for 

Debt  in 
England 


282 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


Colonel 
James 

Edward 
Ogle- 
thorpe 


Revolution,  and  without  whose  help  England  would  probably  have 
conquered,  and  who  gave  up  all  he  had  to  buy  food  and  clothing  for 
the  starving  and  freezing  soldiers,  was  thrown  into  prison  for  debt. 
Before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution,  however,  the  working 
of  this  law  attracted  increasing  interest  in  England.  Thousands  of 
people  were  in  the  jails,  for  no  crime,  but  because  perhaps  sickness 
or  misfortune  had  compelled  them  to  run  into  debt.  It  was  not 
the  mere  imprisonment,  but  the  horrible  suffering  of  the  prisoners, 
which  shocked  all  right-thinking  people.  They  were  treated  like 
mere  beasts,  and  disease  often  carried  off  scores.  Their  condition 
was  a  reproach  to  any  people  claiming  to  be  Christian  or  civilized. 
The  hearts  of  the  benevolent  everywhere  were  stirred  to  help  the 
miserable  beings,  and  a  wealthy  and  humane  man  left  his  large  for 
tune  to  be  used  in  liberating  the  most  worthy  insolvent  debtors  from 
imprisonment. 

Finally,  Parliament  appointed  a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  sad 
condition  of  things.  The  prime  mover  in  this  matter  was  Colonel 
James  Edward  Oglethorpe,'"  who  was  one  of  the  most  admirable  men 
connected  with  the  early  history  of  our  country.  He  was  an  under 
graduate  at  the  University  of  Oxford  when  quite  a  youth,  but,  in 
1714,  he  left  his  college  to  take  military  service  under  Prince  Eugene 
of  Savoy,  the  Continental  colleague  of  Marlborough  in  the  war  in 
Flanders.  He  belonged  to  an  excellent  family,  and  proved  himself 
a  soldier  of  exceeding  bravery  and  skill,  serving  with  distinction  in 


*  General  Oglethorpe  [b.  1698  (?);  d.  1785]  was,  in  his  day,  not  only  the  founder  of 
the  philanthropic  colony  of  Georgia,  but  a  notable  figure  in  parliamentary,  military, 
and  social  circles  in  London.  His  early  career  in  the  army,  and  the  part  he  took 
with  Prince  Eugene  in  the  Austrian  campaign  against  the  Turks  in  Eastern  Europe, 
gave  him  prestige  and  influence  when  he  founded  Georgia,  and  maintained  it  as  a  bul 
wark  against  Spanish  aggression  upon  it  and  its  more  prosperous  northern  neighbor, 
South  Carolina.  After  his  return  to  England,  in  1743,  he  took  part,  two  years  later,  in 
suppressing  the  Jacobite  insurrection  in  Scotland,  though  his  hereditary  associations 
were  with  the  Stuart  cause.  Subsequently,  he  became  a  free-lance  in  Parliament,  and 
maintained  an  attitude  of  sturdy  independence  towards  the  Pelham  ministry  of  the  Hano 
verian  king,  George  II.  He  was  the  friend  of  Walpole,  Goldsmith,  Boswell,  and  Burke, 
and  kept  to  the  last,  we  are  told,  his  "boyish  vivacity  and  diversity  of  interests,  his 
keen  sense  of  personal  dignity,  his  sympathy  with  the  problems  of  life,  and  his  earnest, 
ness  of  moral  conviction."  Pope,  in  one  of  his  satires,  speaks  of  this  distinguished 
soldier  and  philanthropist  as  being  "driven  by  strong  benevolence  of  soul,  to  fly  from 
pole  to  pole,"  in  the  interest  of  oppressed  humanity.  In  an  illustrative  note  to  the  allu 
sion  to  General  Oglethorpe  in  the  poem,  it  is  said  that  "  the  benevolence  which  induced 
him  to  found  and  settle  the  colony  in  Georgia  gives  greater  lustre  than  military  exploits 
to  his  character,"  great  as  these  exploits  were. 


CHAP.  XXI 


COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


283 


the  campaign  against  the  Turks,  which  had  its  decisive  close  in  the    PERIOD 


PERIOD  II 


siege  and  capture,  in  171 7,  of  the  Servian  town  of  Belgrade,  on  the    COLON«A. 

SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 

1758 


Danube. 

Just  here  a  fact  may  be  mentioned  which  is  not  generally  known. 
When  the  Revolution  broke  out,  Oglethorpe  was  considered  to  be 
one  of  the  most  skilful  generals  in  the  British  Islands,  and  the  feel- 
in^  was  universal  that  he  was  the  best  fitted  to  assume  chief  com- 


HORRORS    OF    ENGLISH    PRISON    LIFE 

mand  of  all  the  English   forces  in  America.      Such  command  would 
have  been  his,  except  that  the  authorities  feared  that  his  disposition 
was  too  humane  to  allow  him  to  wage  war  against  the  "  rebels"  as 
King  George  resolved  it  should  be  waged.     When  our  independence      Ogle-^ 
was  secured,  and  we  sent  a  minister  to  represent  us  at  the  Court  of  chivalry 
St.  James,  the  first  one  to  take  'him  by  the  hand  and  give  him  wel 
come  was  General  Oglethorpe,  who  was  glad  in  his  heart  that  we  had 
won  our  freedom.     He  was  a  man  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word. 
The  parliamentary  committee,  to  which  reference  has  been  made, 


284 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


Revela 
tions  of 
Prison 
Life 


A  Char 
ter  for 

the  Prov 
ince  of 

Georgia, 
1732 


Coloni 
zation 
Schemes 


was  named  in  1728,  with  Oglethorpe  as  chairman.  He  went  to 
work  with  vigor,  and  the  revelations  which  he  made  of  prison  life 
horrified  the  nation.  Few  believed  that  such  misery,  degradation, 
wretchedness,  and  despair  could  exist.  Everybody  shuddered,  for 
they  knew  that  the  scenes  which  he  described  were  true.  Many  of 
the  jailors  were  indescribably  brutal  to  the  unfortunates,  and  Ogle 
thorpe  rightly  pursued  the  most  cruel  of  these  felons  until  he  lodged 
them  in  jail.  The  people  demanded  that  the  outrage  should 
cease,  and  Oglethorpe  vowed  before  heaven  that  he  would  never 
rest  until  he  had  done  his  utmost  to  wipe  away  the  reproach. 

Now  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  while  it  was  a  blessed  charity  to  re 
lease  the  worthy  insolvent  debtors,  such  remedy  could  never  be  effec 
tual  if  the  relief  stopped  there,  for  those  same  people  were  liable  to 
fall  into  debt  again,  and  undergo  the  punishment  from  which  they 
had  partially  escaped.  Something  of  a  wholly  different  nature  was 
needed,  and  Oglethorpe  proposed  to  send  the  best  class  of  debtors  to 
the  unoccupied  territory  to  the  south  of  the  Carolinas.  The  other 
members  of  the  committee  agreed  with  him,  and  a  plan  was  sub 
mitted  to  Parliament,  which  was  so  well  set  forth  that  George  II., 
who  was  then  king,  as  well  as  the  Parliament,  favored  it.  A  liberal 
grant  of  money  was  made,  and  on  June  Qth,  1732,  the  sovereign  issued 
a  charter  for  founding  the  colony  of  Georgia,  so  named  in  compli 
ment  to  the  king.  The  charter  provided  for  a  province  extending 
from  the  Savannah  River  on  the  north,  to  the  Altamaha  (awl'-ta-md- 
haw'}  River  on  the  south,  and  from  the  sources  of  those  streams 
westward  to  the  Pacific.  It  will  be  noted  that  even  at  that  late  day 
everybody  was  ignorant  of  the  immense  area  of  our  country,  else  a 
grant  of  such  an  extent  would  never  have  been  made. 

The  management  of  the  colony  was  entrusted  for  a  term  of 
twenty-one  years  to  a  like  number  of  noblemen  and  gentlemen.  At 
the  end  of  the  period  named,  a  permanent  government  was  to  be 
established  by  the  king  or  his  successors,  agreeably  with  British  law 
and  usage.  Among  the  directors  were  Oglethorpe  and  Anthony  Ash 
ley  Cooper,  fourth  Earl  of  Shaftesbury.  Oglethorpe,  unlike  other 
founders  of  colonies,  offered  to  go  with  the  first  emigrants,  and  aid 
them  in  establishing  a  settlement.  Every  feature  of  the  new  enter 
prise  commended  itself  to  the  British  people,  and  the  managers 
were  deluged,  it  may  almost  be  said,  with  donations.  A  generous 
sum  of  money  came  from  the  Bank  of  England ;  the  king  presented 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL   HISTORY   OF   GEORGIA 


285 


seventy-four  cannon  and  a  supply  of  ammunition  to  the  emigrants ; 
and  the  grants  of  Parliament  soon  amounted  to  more  than  thirty 
thousand  pounds.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  Georgia  scheme 
suffered  because  of  its  excessive  popularity.  We  all  know  that  a 
boy  or  girl  is  easily  spoiled  by  unwise  indulgence,  and  so  it  was,  as 
the  reader  will  learn,  that  too  many  favors  were  done  for  Georgia  in 
its  infancy. 

Many  circumstances  awakened  high  hopes  for  the  scheme.  Grapes 
grew  in  wonderful  profusion  in  the  province,  so  that  the  production 
of  wine  promised  to  be  a  profitable  industry.  Piedmont  received 
more  than  two  million  dollars  annually  from  England  for  unmanu 
factured  silk,  which  it  was  believed  could  be  diverted  to  Georgia; 
while  the  climate  was  known  to  be  favorable  to  the  growth  of  the 
olive,  for  which  dependence  was  mainly  had  upon  Italy. 

A  careful  selection  was  made  from  the  hundreds  of  applicants,  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  women,  and  children,  representing 
thirty-five  families,  sailed  in  the  ship  Anne,  of  two  hundred  tons, 
from  Gravesend,  November  6th,  1732.  Among  them  were  a  number 
of  Piedmontese  silk-workers,  with  a  quantity  of  silkworms'  eggs. 
Nearly  every  man  was  a  skilled  mechanic  or  artisan,  and  they  pru 
dently  took  enough  provisions  to  last  them  until  they  could  raise 
crops  of  their  own.  The  voyage  of  the  Anne  was  wearisome,  but  she 
reached  Charleston  in  January,  1733,  and  Oglethorpe  and  his  emi 
grants  received  a  cordial  welcome.  At  the  governor's  request,  the 
assembly  of  South  Carolina  voted  their  neighbors  a  number  of  breed 
ing  cattle  and  other  supplies.  Pilots  and  a  convoy  were  furnished 
to  the  Anne,  which  sailed  for  Port  Royal  Sound,  near  Beaufort 
Island,  whence  the  immigrants  were  conveyed  to  the  Savannah  River 
in  small  boats.  From  that  point,  Oglethorpe,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Bull,  of  Charleston,  afterwards  governor  of  South  Carolina,  proceeded 
up  the  river  to  select  a  site  for  the  settlement,  which  was  that  of  the 
present  city  of  Savannah.  The  town  was  laid  out,  and,  returning  to 
Beaufort,  the  immigrants  arrived  and  began  the  settlement,  February 
ist,  1733. 

In  his  report  to  the  trustees,  Oglethorpe  wrote :  "  Upon  the  river 
side,  at  the  centre  of  this  plain,  I  have  laid  out  a  town,  opposite  to 
which  is  an  island  of  very  rich  pasturage,  which  I  think  should  be 
kept  for  the  trustees'  cattle.  The  river  is  pretty  wide,  the  water 
fresh,  and  from  the  key  of  the  town  you  see  its  whole  course  to  the 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


Found 
ing  of 
Savan 
nah,  1733 


286 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


Ogle- 
thorpe's 
Inter 
view 
with 
Tomo- 
chichi 


sea,  with  the  island  of  Tybee,  which  forms  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
For  about  six  miles  up  into  the  country  the  landscape  is  very  agree 
able,  the  stream  being  wide,  and  bordered  with  high  woods." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Oglethorpe  possessed  a  fine  military 
training.  While  the  comfortable  dwellings  were  in  course  of  erec 
tion,  he  put  up  a  strong  fort,  and  mounted  the  cannon  presented  to 
him  by  the  king.  He  knew,  moreover,  that  his  Spanish  neighbors 
on  the  south  were  not  to  be  trusted.  The  men  were  formed  into  a 
military  company,  officers  appointed,  and  frequent- drills  had,  all  of 
which  made  a  desirable  impression  upon  the  wondering  Indians  who 
gathered  around.  But  the  wise  and  humane  founder  of  Georgia 
relied  upon  other  means  to  win  the  good-will  of  the  dusky  inhabitants 
of  the  country,  which  was  claimed  by  the  powerful  tribe  of  Creeks, 
while  near-by  was  the  seat  of  a  tribe  made  up  of  Yamacraws  and  Sa 
vannahs,  whose  chief  was  Tomo-chichi,  more  than  ninety  years  old. 
The  latter  was  held  in  great  respect  as  a  wise  sachem  and  counsellor 
by  all  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  Oglethorpe  lost  no  time  in  seeking 
an  interview  with  him. 

In  this  delicate  and  important  step  the  founder  of  the  colony  re 
ceived  much  aid  from  Mary  Musgrove,  the  half-breed  wife  of  a  South 
Carolina  trader.  She  acted  as  interpreter,  and  dispelled  all  the  fears 
of  the  venerable  sachem.  When  the  group  gathered  under  the  green 
pines  and  spreading  live-oaks  on  Yamacraw  Bluff,  Tomo-chichi  walked 
forward,  and  handed  to  the  founder  a  bison-skin  on  the  under  side  of 
which  was  painted  the  figure  of  an  eagle. 

"  Here,"  said  he,  "  is  a  buffalo-skin,  adorned  with  the  head  and 
feathers  of  an  eagle.  The  eagle  means  speed,  and  the  buffalo 
strength.  The  English  are  as  swift  as  the  eagle,  and  strong  as  the 
buffalo.  Like  the  eagle,  they  flew  hither  over  great  waters,  and,  like 
the  buffalo,  nothing  can  withstand  them.  But  the  feathers  of  the 
eagle  are  soft,  and  signify  kindness ;  and  the  skin  of  the  buffalo  is 
covering,  and  signifies  protection.  Let  these,  then,  remind  them  to 
be  kind  and  protect  us." 

The  scene  recalls  that  of  Penn  and  the  Delaware  Indians  a  half 
century  before,  under  the  old  elm  at  Shackamaxon.  Oglethorpe 
made  so  pleasant  and  tactful  a  reply  to  Tomo-chichi  that  his  full 
confidence  and  friendship  were  won,  and  through  his  aid  a  conven 
tion  was  brought  about  with  the  heads  of  the  Creek  confederacy,  in 
May,  1733.  A  treaty  was  made  by  which  all  unoccupied  lands 


288 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 

1758 


Augusta 
Found 
ed,  1733 


The 
Creek 

Indians 
at  the 

English 
Court 


within  certain  named  boundaries  were  assigned  to  the  English,  and 
this  treaty  was  ratified  by  the  trustees  in  the  following  October.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  treaty,  Tomo-chichi,  as  host,  invited  all  parties 
to  his  town,  near  at  hand,  where  Oglethorpe  distributed  a  large  num 
ber  of  valuable  presents.  Strong  spirits  were  used  so  freely  that 
some  not  very  creditable  scenes  took  place,  which  caused  the  trustees 
to  pass  a  resolution  prohibiting  the  use  or  sale  of  rum  anywhere  in 
the  province. 

When  the  first  crop  of  Indian  corn  was  raised,  it  measured  a  thou 
sand  bushels.  Everything  was  promising,  and  the  people  were  sat 
isfied  and  hopeful.  More  immigrants  arriving  in  the  course  of  the 
year,  the  town  of  Augusta  was  now  founded.  Just  then  it  looked  to 
Oglethorpe  that  he  could  be  well  spared,  at  least  for  a  time,  and  so 
in  the  spring  of  1734  he  sailed  for  England.  Convinced  that  it  was 
well  to  impress  the  red  men  with  the  strength  and  resources  of  the 
English  nation,  he  persuaded  Tomo-chichi,  his  wife,  their  son,  and 
several  chiefs,  to  go  with  him  as  his  guests. 

The  vessel  reached  England  in  June,  and  the  Creeks  were  received 
with  as  hearty  a  cordiality  as  welcomed  Pocahontas  more  than  a  hun 
dred  years  before.  On  the  first  of  August,  the  king  granted  them 
an  interview,  which  was  held  in  Kensington  Palace,  and  was  marked 
on  both  sides  with  much  state  and  ceremony.  Presenting  some 
eagle's  feathers  to  the  monarch,  the  aged  Tomo-chichi  said : 

"This  day  I  see  the  majesty  of  your  face,  the  greatness  of  your 
house,  and  the  number  of  your  people.  I  am  come  for  the  good  oi 
the  whole  nation,  called  the  Creeks,  to  renew  the  peace  which  was 
long  ago  had  with  the  English.  I  am  come  over  in  my  old  days,  al 
though  I  cannot  live  to  see  any  advantage  to  myself.  I  am  come  for 
the  good  of  the  children  of  the  nations  of  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Creeks,  that  they  may  be  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  English. 

"These  are  the  feathers  of  the  eagle,  which  is  the  swiftest  of 
birds,  and  who  flieth  all  around  our  nations.  These  feathers  are  a 
sign  of  peace  in  our  land,  and  have  been  carried  from  town  to  town 
there,  and  we  have  brought  them  over  to  leave  with  you,  O  great 
king!  as  a  sign  of  everlasting  peace.  O  great  king!  whatsoever 
words  you  shall  say  to  me,  I  will  tell  them  faithfully  to  all  the  kings 
of  the  Creek  nations." 

His  Majesty  listened  with  attentive  courtesy  to  these  words,  and 
replied  in  the  following  terms  : 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


289 


"  I  am  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  assuring  you  of  my  regard  for 
the  people  from  whom  you  have  come.  I  am  extremely  well  pleased 
with  the  assurances  you  have  brought  me  from  them,  and  accept  very 
gratefully  the  present,  as  an  indication  of  their  good  disposition  to 
me  and  my  people.  I  shall  always  be  ready  to  cultivate  a  good  un 
derstanding  between  them  and  my  own  subjects,  and  shall  be  glad 
of  any  occasion  to  show  you  a  mark  of  my  friendship  and  esteem." 

When   the  words   were   interpreted   to  Tomo-chichi,  then   in   his 


IN    KENSINGTON    PALACE 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


King 


ninety-third   year,  he   turned  to  the  queen,  and  said  with   touching     Recep- 
simplicity :  "  I  am  glad  to  see  this  day,  and  to   have  the  opportunity  of  creek 
of  seeing  the  mother  of  this  great  people.     As  our  people  are  joined 
with  your  majesty's,  we  humbly  hope  to  find  you  the  common  mother 
and  protectoress  of  us  and  all  our  children." 

Oglethorpe  was  the  "  father"  of  the  delegation  during  the  stay  of 
the  Indians  in  England.  They  looked  up  to  him  with  the  trusting  con 
fidence  of  children,  and  did  everything  he  wished.  At  the  interview 
with  the  king  and  queen,  Tomo-chichi  and  his  wife  appeared  in  a 


290 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE- 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1758 


Coming 
of  the 
Salz 
burgers 


The 
Wesley 
Bro 
thers 


costume  of  scarlet  and  gold.  One  of  the  chiefs  had  set  his  heart 
upon  a  ctibut  in  war  costume,  which  consisted  mostly  of  paint  with  a 
bit  of  cloth  around  the  loins,  but  Oglethorpe  convinced  the  ambi 
tious  visitor  that  it  was  hardly  the  right  thing  to  do.  „- 

The  brother-in-law  of  Tomo-chichi  was  stricken  with  smallpox, 
and  though  he  received  the  best  of  attention,  he  died,  and  was  buried 
as  nearly  as  possible  according  to  the  custom  in  America.  After 
this,  Oglethorpe  took  the  Indians  to  his  estate,  and  waited  upon  them 
there  with  open-handed  hospitality.  The  stay  of  the  Creeks  lasted 
four  months,  during  which  they  received  so  much  attention  that  their 
health  was  threatened.  When  they  sailed,  they  took  with  them 
scores  of  valuable  presents,  and  arrived  at  Savannah  at  the  close  of 
the  year  1734. 

About  this  time  a  company  of  Salzburgers  reached  Charleston. 
They  had  been  driven  by  religious  persecution  from  their  homes 
in  the  province  of  Salzburg,  at  the  base  of  the  Noric  Alps.  These 
Protestant  Salzburgers  were  so  different  in  their  manners  and  customs 
from  the  English  that  they  were  formed  into  a  colony  by  themselves. 
They  named  the  little  stream  and  town  where  they  found  a  safe 
refuge  at  last  "Ebenezer,"  as  expressive  of  their  gratitude  to  Heaven 
for  its  mercy  and  goodness.  It  formed  one  of  the  most  delightful 
and  charming  settlements  of  colonial  times. 

Oglethorpe  did  not  return  to  Georgia  until  1736.  He  was  re 
ceived  with  gladness  alike  by  the  colonists  and  the  red  men,  all  of 
whom  regarded  him  with  reverence  and  love.  He  took  with  him  one 
hundred  and  fifty  Scotch  Highlanders,  who  were  excellently  drilled 
soldiers,  and  may  be  regarded  as  the  first  regular  troops  in  Georgia. 
They  were  well  armed,  and  brought  with  them  a  number  of  cannon. 
Two  notable  passengers  accompanied  Oglethorpe.  They  were  the 
brothers,  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  the  founders  of  Methodism, 
whose  names  will  doubtless  be  revered  for  all  time.  Charles,  the 
younger,  was  Oglethorpe's  secretary,  while  John  was  a  missionary 
to  the  Indians.  With  the  emigrants  were  a  number  of  Moravians, 
and  so  superior  were  all  as  a  class  that  their  arrival  in  the  colony  is 
often  referred  to  as  the  "  Grand  Embarkation." 

The  Wesleys  at  that  time  were  young  in  years,  and  the  earnestness 
of  their  convictions  led  them  to  a  course  of  action  which  did  not  always 
result  in  the  good  intended.  John  disagreed  with  Oglethorpe,  who 
advised  him  to  temper  his  zeal  with  discretion.  Charles  stayed  but 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA  291 


a  short  time,  when  he  returned  to  England,  and  John  followed  him    PERIOD  n 
in  1737,  under  the  conviction  that,  although  he  was  a  minister  of  the    COLONIZA 

TION  AND 


TO 


Church  of  England,  he  had  never  been  converted  to  God. 

It  is  somewhat  singular  that  the  man  who  was  sent  to  take  the  I6°2 
place  of  John  Wesley  became  one  of  the  greatest  preachers  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  He  was  George  Whitefield  (whit'  -field],  who 
possessed  a  sweet,  penetrating  voice,  and  an  eloquence  that  swayed 
his  hearers  with  resistless  power.  He  did  a  work  for  his  divine 
Master  the  extent  of  which  is  beyond  measurement  by  human  stand 
ards.  Although  Whitefield  was  also  a  young  man,  he  was  more 
practical  than  the  Wesleys,  and  was  popular  from  the  first.  He  White- 
founded  an  asylum  for  orphans  at  Savannah,  and  supported  it  by 
voluntary  subscriptions,  obtained  mostly  in  England  ;  and  his  broad, 
catholic  spirit  enabled  him  to  join  hands  with  the  Moravians  and  all 
who  had  the  good  of  mankind  at  heart. 

Oglethorpe  brought  with  him  from  England  two  acts  of  Parlia 
ment  intended  to  have  an  important  bearing  upon  the  moral  welfare 
and  material  progress  of  the  colony.  One  forbade  the  holding  of 
slaves,  and  the  other  prohibited  the  bringing  of  spirituous  liquors  into 
the  province.  He  had  been  instrumental  in  the  passage  of  these 
laws,  but  it  was  well-nigh  impossible  to  enforce  them.  Just  over 
the  border,  in  South  Carolina,  the  chief  traffic  was  that  in  rum.  The 
people  there  were  anxious  to  sell  to  the  Georgians,  and  the  Georgians 
were  just  as  anxious  to  buy,  and  so  the  vile  business  went  on. 

As  to    slave  labor,  no  place  could  have  been  better  adapted  to    Slavery 

and  the 
it  than  Georgia,  and  while  it  existed  in  the  Carolinas  it  was   impos-      Rum- 

sible  to  keep  it  out  of  the  neighboring  province.  A  pretence  of 
obeying  the  law  was  made  by  hiring  gangs  of  slaves  from  South 
Carolina,  but  soon  that  pretext  was  flung  aside,  and  slavery  flour 
ished  as  much  on  one  side  of  the  boundary  line  as  on  the  other. 
While  these  two  laws  were  morally  right,  though  impossible  of 
enforcement,  there  were  others  that  were  unwise.  Thus  the  trus 
tees  had  ordered  that  every  grant  of  land  should  be  in  such  form 
that  widows  and  daughters  were  debarred  from  all  interest  in  the 
property  of  husband  and  father.  Hence,  if  any  owner  died  without 
a  son,  the  whole  property  went  back  to  the  trustees,  who  could  dis 
pose  of  it  as  they  pleased.  This  law  was  not  changed  until  it  had 
done  much  mischief  in  the  province. 

The  high   estimation   in  which  Oglethorpe  was  held  in   England 


292  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  ii    gave  him  great  influence,  and  he  obtained  almost  anything  in  reason 
COLONIZA-   for  which  he  asked.     Parliament  voted  more  money,  to  the  Georgia 

TION  AND 

SETTLE-     colony,  and    showed  it  so  many  favors  that,  as    has   already  been 
1602       intimated,  it  was  a  question  whether  too  much  indulgence  was  not 
1758       shown  to  the  colonists,  who  would  have  done  better  if   left  to  work 
out   their  own  well-being  as  did  the  sturdy  emigrants  in   Massa 
chusetts  and  other  places.     Still,  whatever  errors  were  committed 
by  the  founder  of  Georgia,  he  had  at  bottom  the  influencing  motive 
of  love  for  his  kind. 

With  a  number  of  his  Highland  soldiers,  Oglethorpe  made  an 
exploratory  voyage  among  the  islands  and  along  the  coast.  Frederica 
was  founded  on  St.  Simon's  Island,  where  a  fort  was  erected.  The 
Highlanders  had  been  assigned  to  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Altamaha, 
Immi-  which  England  affirmed  was  the  true  boundary  between  her  pos- 
gration  sessjons  and  those  of  Spain.  The  town  was  named  New  Inverness, 
and  the  fort,  Darien.  The  Highlanders  were  joined  by  other  emi 
grants  from  Scotland,  and  formed  a  community  by  themselves,  in 
which  the  customs  and  the  picturesque  dress  of  their  native  coun 
try  were  preserved.  Oglethorpe  paid. this  settlement  a  friendly  call, 
and  as  a  compliment  to  the  people  he  presented  himself  in  High 
land  costume.  He  was  received  with  the  lively  tunes  of  the  national 
pipes,  and  made  welcome  by  the  hospitable  people. 

The  towns  outside  of  Savannah  were  Darien,  Ebenezer,  and  Au 
gusta.  Never  forgetful  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  south,  Oglethorpe 
took  special  interest  in  Frederica,  on  St.  Simon's  Island.  He 
erected  excellent  fortifications  on  St.  Simon's  and  Cumberland 
islands,  which  served  their  purpose  as  a  bulwark  against  Spanish 
encroachments. 

The  Salzburgers  thrived  wonderfully.  They  would  not  permit 
any  slave  labor  among  them,  and,  by  and  by,  exported  five  tons  of 
raw  silk  annually.  Indigo  was  largely  cultivated,  and  it  may  be 
said  that  the  prosperity  of  this  portion  of  Georgia  surpassed  all 
expectations. 

Southern       Oglethorpe  now  took  a  bold  step.     With  a  number  of  his  favorite 

l™}  s    Highlanders,  he  made  a  journey  to  the  south,  and  marked  St.  John's 

Georgia    River  as  the  southern  limits  of  Georgia.     His  argument  for  going 

beyond  the  claims  of  the  trustees  was  that  the  domain  thus  placed 

in  dispute  was  in  possession  of  Indian  subjects  of   Britain  in  1713, 

when  the  war.  between  that  country  on  the  one  hand,  and  Spain  and 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


293 


France  on  the  other,  was  concluded  by  treaty.  True  to  the  national 
love  of  conquest,  Great  Britain  backed  him  up  in  this  position. 

Oglethorpe  sent  an  embassy  to  St.  Augustine  with  a  notification 
of  his  claim,  but  modified  it  by  making  St.  Mary's  the  southern 
boundary.  He  knew  that  the  Spaniards  would  not  assent  to  this 
until  compelled  by  force  of  arms,  and  hence  the  military  prepara 
tions  he  then  carefully  made.  A  fort  was  built  which  commanded 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Mary's,  and  Fort  St.  George,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  John's  River,  was  completed. 

The  Spaniards  were  so  angered  by  the  course  of  the  governor 
that,  when  his  messengers  reached  St.  Augustine,  they  were  held  as 
prisoners,  and  war  was  threatened.  As  soon  as  Tomo-chichi  learned 
of  this,  he  came  at  the  head  of  a  large  company  of  warriors  to  offer 
aid  to  Oglethorpe.  So  did  other  chiefs.  The  powerful  Chickasaws 
formed  an  alliance  with  the  governor,  who  felt  increased  confidence 
in  his  strength.  The  governor  of  St.  Augustine  had  tried  to  tamper 
with  these  Indians,  and,  when  he  learned  what  they  had  done,  he  re 
leased  Oglethorpe's  messengers,  and  a  satisfactory  treaty  was  made. 
The  Georgians  were  withdrawn  from  Fort  St.  George,  and  all  would 
have  been  well,  had  not  the  Spanish  government  rejected  the  agree 
ment,  and  sent  a  commission  from  Cuba  to  meet  Oglethorpe  at 
Frederica.  The  meeting  took  place  in  the  latter  part  of  1736. 
When  it  is  stated  that  the  commission  would  listen  to  no  settlement 
except  that  of  the  abandonment  of  all  of  Georgia  and  a  part  of  South 
Carolina  by  the  English,  it  need  not  be  added  that  the  interview  did 
not  end  satisfactorily  on  either  side. 

The  situation  was  so  perilous  that  Oglethorpe  proceeded  to  England 
to  consult  with  the  trustees.  He  reported  that  Spain  was  moving 
soldiers  into  Florida,  and  undoubtedly  meant  to  enforce  her  claims 
by  going  to  war.  Oglethorpe  was  commissioned  a  brigadier-general, 
given  command  of  all  the  military  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia, 
and  authorized  to  raise  troops  in  England.  He  did  this,  and  arrived 
in  Georgia,  in  the  autumn  of  1738,  with  a  trained  military  force  of 
six  hundred  men,  backed  by  a  grant  from  Parliament  of  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

He  found  much  discontent  in  the  province.  Georgia  and  South 
Carolina  were  at  swords' -points  over  the  law  about  traffic  in  rum; 
and  while  the  Moravians  and  Salzburgers  would  not  permit  slave  labor 
among  themselves,  the  remainder  of  the  people  insisted  that  it  was 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 
TO 
1753 


Difficul 
ties 

with  the 
Spanish 

in 
Florida 


294 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 

1758 


Ogle- 
thorpe's 
Invasion 

of 

Florida, 
1740 


as  much  a  necessity  as  in  South  Carolina.  Oglethorpe  declared 
that  he  would  resign  and  abandon  the  province  if  slavery  were  per 
mitted.  The  ill-feeling  became  so  general  that  a  good  many  settlers 
removed  to  South  Carolina. 

During  the  governor's  absence  in  England,  the  Spaniards  strove 
to  win  his  Indian  allies  from  him,  but  they  could  not  influence  them. 
Then  they  tampered  with  his  own  soldiers,  and  succeeded  to  such  an 
extent  that  an  attempt  was  made  upon  Oglethorpe's  life.  A  speedy 
court-martial  and  several  hangings  followed,  when  all  danger  from 
that  source  disappeared. 

England,  then  under  the  administration  of  Walpole,  declared  war 
against  Spain  in  1739.  Oglethorpe  received  early  notice  of  what 
was  coming,  and  moved  with  characteristic  energy  and  skill.  He 
knew  the  Spaniards  were  strengthening  St.  Augustine,  and  his  de 
sign  was  to  strike  it  before  their  plans  were  completed.  He  urged 
South  Carolina  to  join  him ;  but,  without  waiting  for  her  help,  he 
marched  into  Florida  early  in  1740,  with  four  hundred  soldiers  and 
a  strong  force  of  Indians.  On  the  march  he  dressed  like  a  common 
soldier,  and  shared  in  all  the  privations. 

Oglethorpe  invested  Diego,  a  small  fort  twenty-five  miles  from  the 
town.  It  held  out  but  a  short  time,  and  placing  a  garrison  in  posses 
sion,  he  pushed  on  to  Fort  Moosa,  two  miles  from  St.  Augustine, 
only  to  find  that  it  had  been  abandoned  by  the  Spaniards,  who  were 
gathered  in  the  larger  fortification. 

The  governor's  force  was  too  weak  to  hope  for  success,  so  he  pro 
ceeded  to  Charleston  to  hasten  the  coming  of  the  troops  from  that 
province.  He  came  back  with  sufficient  North  and  South  Caro 
linians  and  Virginians  to  swell  the  attacking  force,  including  In 
dians,  to  two  thousand.  He  appeared  before  the  fort  in  June,  and 
summoned  it  to  surrender.  The  demand  was  refused,  and  he  in 
vested  it,  a  small  squadron  blockading  the  harbor,  but  the  blockade 
was  so  weak  that  the  enemy  easily  broke  it  whenever  necessary. 
The  English  had  no  cannon  of  sufficient  range  to  do  effective  work, 
and  the  sickly  season  was  at  hand.  Among  those  stricken  down  by 
fever  was  the  governor  himself,  who  was  compelled  to  abandon  the 
siege. 

No  military  events  of  moment  took  place  in  Georgia  for  a  couple 
of  years ;  but  in  May,  1 742,  two  thousand  troops,  under  Don 
Antonio  de  Rodondo,  arrived  at  St.  Augustine  from  Cuba. 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


295 


Oglethorpe  asked  South  Carolina  to  help  him  to  repel  the  invasion 
that  this  foreshadowed,  but  the  aid  was  withheld,  and  the  governor 
prepared  to  do  the  best  he  could  with  the  weak  force  at  his  command. 

The  captain-general  of  Florida  arrived  at  St.  Simon's  Island, 
in  July,  with  a  fleet  of  thirty-six  vessels,  and  a  force  of  probably  five 
thousand  men.  All  the  governor  could  muster  of  Highlanders,  In 
dians,  and  negroes,  was  barely  eight  hundred.  But  the  undaunted 
general  said  to  his  men  :  "  We  must  protect  Carolina  and  the  rest  of 
the  colonies  from  destruction,  or  die  in  the  attempt.  For  myself,  I 
am  prepared  for  all  dangers.  I  know  the  enemy  are  far  more  nu 
merous  than  we,  but  I  rely  on  the  valor  of  our  men,  and  by  God's 
help,  I  believe  we  shall  be  victorious." 

St.  Simon's  was  untenable,  and,  ordering  his  vessels  to  run  up  to 
Frederica,  Oglethorpe  spiked  his  guns  and  followed.  The  position 
taken  was  almost  invulnerable,  and  he  repulsed  every  attack  made 
upon  him.  At  Bloody  Marsh,  a  body  of  Spanish  troops  was  not 
only  routed,  but  almost  destroyed  by  an  impetuous  charge  of  the 
Highlanders.  Then  Oglethorpe  assumed  the  offensive,  encouraged  by 
the  knowledge  that  the  quarrels  between  the  forces  from  St.  Augus 
tine  and  Cuba  were  so  bitter  that  they  did  not  occupy  the  same  encamp 
ments.  He  reached  a  point  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Spanish 
position  at  night,  and  halted,  intending  to  make  the  attack  at  day 
break.  While  the  situation  was  thus  delicate,  one  of  Oglethorpe's  men 
suddenly  fired  his  gun,  and  dashed  out  of  the  encampment.  He  was 
a  spy,  and  was  gone  before  any  one  could  shoot  him.  The  report  of 
his  musket  was  a  signal  to  the  enemy,  and  the  governor  saved  him 
self  from  the  crushing  attack  that  he  knew  would  be  made,  as  soon 
as  his  weakness  was  known,  by  falling  back  upon  Frederica. 

Oglethorpe  now  put  into  execution  a  clever  scheme  to  defeat 
the  mischief  threatened  by  the  action  of  the  deserter.  He  wrote  a 
letter  of  instructions  to  him,  as  if  he  were  really  a  British  spy. 
He  told  him  to  impress  upon  the  Spanish  commander  that  Frederica 
was  so  weak  that,  if  an  immediate  attack  were  made,  its  fall  was  cer 
tain.  If  the  spy  were  unable  to  bring  about  the  assault,  he  must 
manage  to  hold  the  Spanish  forces  where  they  were  for  three  days 
more,  during  which  time  the  Georgia  troops  would  be  reinforced  by 
two  thousand  soldiers,  escorted  by  six  ships-of-war.  Mention  was 
also  made  of  an  attack  soon  to  be  made  upon  St.  Augustine  by  Ad 
miral  Vernon,  the  English  commander.  The  deserter  was  promised 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 
1753 


An  In 
genious 
Scheme 
and  its 
Success 


296 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxi 


PERIOD  ii    a  large  sum   in  gold  if  he  succeeded  in  carrying  out  these  several 
instructions. 

Now,  of  course,  the  greater  portion  of  these  "  tall  stories  were 
the  identical  ones  which  Oglethorpe  knew  the  deserter  would  relate 
to  the  Spanish  commander,  and  the  aim  of  the  governor  was  to  throw 
discredit  upon  them.  The  letter  was  sealed  and  given  to  a  Spanish 
prisoner,  who  was  promised  a  large  reward  on  condition  that  he  de- 


COLONIZA- 
TION    AND 

SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 
TO 

1758 


livered  it  privately  to  the  deserter.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniard 
in  the  enemy's  camp,  since  he  was  not  known,  he  was  taken  before 
the  Spanish  commander,  searched,  and  the  letter  found  on  him. 

This  was  just  what  Oglethorpe  planned  should  take  place.  The 
real  deserter  was  brought  before  the  general,  and  ordered  to  give  an 
account  of  himself.  He  told  the  truth,  but  that  only  placed  him  in 
a  more  suspicious  position.  In  doubt  what  it  all  meant,  the  com 
mander  had  the  man  put  in  irons  until  he  could  investigate  more  fully. 
He  saw  that,  after  all,  the  whole  thing  might  be  a  stratagem  of  the 
English  commander,  who  he  did  not  intend  should  overreach  him. 


CHAP,  xxi     COLONIAL    HISTORY    OF    GEORGIA 


297 


At  this  critical  juncture,  several  ships  with  reinforcements  from 
Charleston  arrived.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  providential. 
The  commander  hanged  the  spy,  and  hurried  back  to  St.  Augustine 
to  defend  it  from  Admiral  Vernon  and  the  English  fleet.  By  this 
singular  chance  were  Georgia  and  Carolina  saved  from  capture  and 
probable  destruction.  The  Spanish  leader  was  dismissed  in  disgrace 
from  the  service,  and  the  military  fame  of  Oglethorpe  was  greatly 
increased.  Whitefield  pronounced  the  salvation  of  the  provinces 
equal  to  any  of  the  marvellous  deliverances  recorded  in  Holy  Writ. 

Having  founded,  colonized,  defended,  and  firmly  established  the 
province  of  Georgia,  Oglethorpe  returned  to  England  in  1743,  and 
did  valiant -military  service  for  his  king.  He  was  eighty  years  old 
when  he  was  urged  to  take  command  of  the  military  forces  in 
America  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution,  but,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  deemed  too  humane  by  the  British  ministry  for  the  work. 
He  lived  to  be  nearly  a  hundred  years  old,  with  the  brightness  of 
his  eyes  undimmed,  his  form  unbowed,  and  his  faculties  unimpaired. 
He  was  pronounced  the  handsomest  old  man  of  his  time,  and  died 
universally  revered  for  his  brave,  unselfish  spirit,  his  commanding 
ability,  and  his  many  Christian  virtues. 

Rest  and  peace  came  for  a  time  to  Georgia,  but  the  province  never 
theless  languished.  The  restrictive  laws  did  not  work  well.  The 
gifts  received  from  the  parent  land,  from  time  to  time,  amounted  to 
three  quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars.  The  inhabitants  became  in 
consequence  thriftless,  and  in  1752  there  was  not  a  town,  but  only 
three  small  villages,  in  the  whole  province.  The  white  population 
numbered  barely  two  thousand,  and  the  exports  of  the  colony 
amounted  to  little  more  than  three  thousand  dollars  annually.  In 
June,  1752,  just  twenty  years  after  the  issuance  of  its  charter,  the 
trustees  surrendered  the  patent  to  the  Crown,  and  it  became  a  royal 
province,  and  so  remained  until  the  Revolution.  As  a  Crown  colony 
an  impetus  was  given  to  immigration  and  industry,  and,  in  1758, 
Georgia  was  divided  into  eight  parishes,  and  the  Church  of  England 
was  by  law  established.  Its  progress  continued  with  its  prosperity, 
and  not  many  years  elapsed  ere  it  earned  the  proud  title  of  "  the 
Empire  State  of  the  South." 


PERIOD  II 

COLONIZA 
TION  AND 
SETTLE 
MENT 
1602 

TO 

1758 


Ogle- 
thorpe's 

return 
to  Eng 
land 


Georgia 
becomes 
A    Royal 
Prov 
ince 


PERIOD    III. -ENGLAND   AND    FRANCE   IN    AMERICA 

CHAPTER    XXII 
FRENCH   COLONIZATION   IN  AMERICA 

[Authorities  :  The  sources  are  many  and  important  that  throw  light  upon  the  inter 
esting  events  related  in  the  present  chapter.  They  cover  a  period  not  only  of  heroic 
French  exploration  in  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes,  and  southward,  by  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi,  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  but  of  vital  moment  to  the  English  colonies  on  the 
seaboard,  in  the  daring  aggressions  of  France  in  the  Ohio  Valley,  which  were  presently 
to  be  checkmated  by  the  combined  action  of  Virginia  and  Maryland  in  the  region  west 
of  the  Alleghanies.  The  chief  authorities  on  the  period,  in  addition  to  the  general  his 
tories,  are  Vols.  IV.  and  V.  of  Winsor's  "  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America," 
Winsor's  "  Cartier  to  Frontenac,"  Parkman's  "Count  Frontenac  and  New  France  under 
Louis  XIV.,"  and  the  same  writer's  "  La  Salle,  and  the  Discovery  of  the  Great  West," 
Sparks's  "Life  of  La  Salle,"  Shea's  "  Discovery  and  Exploration  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley,"  together  with  Garneau's,  Ferland's,  and  Kingsford's  histories  of  Canada.  For 
additional  accounts  of  the  Jesuit  missions  in  New  France,  see  "Relations  des  Jesuites" 
(Paris  and  .Quebec),  Le  Clercq's  "  L Etablissement  de  la  Foi"  (Dr.  J.  Gilmary  Shea's 
translation),  and  Abbe  Faillon's  "  Histoire  de  la  Colonie  Fran^aise  en  Canada" 

REAT    BRITAIN  and    France  have  for  hundreds 
of  years  ranked  among  the  greatest  nations  in  the 
world,  and  during  most  of  this  period  they  have 
been  rivals  of  each  other.     Their  mutual  wars  have 
been  almost  innumerable;  but  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  their  advance  in  Christian  civilization,  their 
enlightenment,  and  the  growing  favor  of  interna 
tional    arbitration,   will  avert  forever  the   appalling 
consequences  of  further  conflict  between  them. 

We  have  completed  the  early  study  of  what  is  known  as  the 
"thirteen  original  colonies,"  and  learned  the  principal  facts  in  the 
annals  of  each,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It 
may  seem  that  since  our  aim  is  to  become  acquainted  with  the  his- 


CHAP,  xxii     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA 


299 


tory  of  our  own  country,  and  since  all  of  those  colonies  were  either 
settled  by  the  English,  or  came  into  their  possession  before  the  open 
ing  of  the  Revolution,  we  have  no  concern  with  the  doings  of  other 
European  nations.  The  time  has  come,  however,  when  we  must 
glance  at  the  work  of  the  French  in  the  way  of  colonization,  for  that 
work  intruded  upon  the  English  field,  and  a  tremendous  struggle  for 
supremacy  between  those  mighty  powers  was  soon  to  be  fought  out 
on  the  soil  of  the  New  World. 

While  the  English  settlements  were  fast  spreading  along  the  At 
lantic  coast  from  Maine  to  Florida,  France  was  engaged  with  fitful 
vigor  in  colonizing  Canada  and  pushing  her  conquest  of  the  wilder 
ness  westward  to  the  fur-bearing  plains  beyond  the  Red  River,  and 
southward  through  the  Mississippi  valley,  where  she  aimed  to  estab 
lish  an  empire  of  such  grandeur  that  it  would  overshadow  the  pos 
sessions  of  all  other  nations  and  make  her  mistress  of  the  American 
continent.  In  this  enterprise,  the  French  displayed  a  wisdom  which 
gave  them  an  immense  advantage  over  the  English ;  they  succeeded 
in  winning  the  good  will  of  the  Indian  tribes  with  which  they  chiefly 
came  in  contact  and  with  whom  they  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  the 
fur  trade.  The  most  powerful  agency  in  the  accomplishment  of  this 
work  was  first  the  Recollets,  then  the  Jesuits,  who  cheerfully  under 
went  every  hardship,  privation,  suffering,  and  peril  in  the  hope  of 
securing  the  conversion  of  the  red  men.  These  missionaries  of  the 
Cross  took  their  lives  in  their  hands,  and  many  lost  them  in  the 
depths  of  the  dismal  solitude,  where  the  blinding  snow,  the  resistless 
cyclone,  the  smothering  heat,  the  arctic  cold,  starvation,  and  the  fierce 
hostility  of  the  savages,  drove  back  every  one  else. 

As  long  ago  as  the  time  of  Champlain,  the  Jesuits  helped  him  to 
cement  an  alliance  with  the  Ottawas  and  the  Hurons  on  the  Geor 
gian  Bay,  to  the  westward.  Three  of  the  priests  of  this  order,  Bre- 
bceuf,  Daniel,  and  Davost,  excited  the  wonder  even  of  the  savages  by 
their  sacrificing  work  and  the  cheerfulness  with  which  they  endured 
every  trial  of  whatever  nature,  and  even  death,  at  the  hands  of  the 
Iroquois,  the  inveterate  enemies  of  their  once  kinsmen,  the  Hurons. 
These  men  tramped  through  the  desolate  woods  with  the  Indians  to 
the  shores  of  distant  Lake  Huron,  where  they  erected  the  first  mis 
sion  house  of  the  Jesuits  among  the  natives  of  the  Huron  country. 
The  devotion  of  these  priests  brought  its  fruit  in  the  conversion  of 
scores,  hundreds,  and  in  some  instances  whole  tribes  of  Indians  who 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1733 


Jesuit 

Mission 
aries 
in  New 
France 


300  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 

PERIOD  in    bowed  at  the  rude  altar  shrines  in  the  wilderness  and  became  nominal 

A?D  FRANCE  Christians.     The  missionary  work  was  steadily  pushed,  since  it  helped 
AMERICA     *n  evei7  wav  tne  interests  of  France,  for  that  nation,  in  addition  to 
J758       the  moral  aspect  of  the  question,  saw  the  almost  inestimable,  gain  in 
1783       a  political  sense  to  her.     By  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
the  conquest   of  the  Jesuits  had    been  carried  from   the  gates  of 
Quebec   to  the  farthest  post  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior.     In 
1656,  two  French  traders  and  a  company  of  Indians  arrived  at  Que 
bec  from  a  two  years'  absence  in  the  west.     The  stories  which  they 

French     told  of  the  wonderful  country  they  had  seen  stirred  the  interest  of 
and       every  one  in  the  colony,  and  both  the  church  and  the  state  resolved 

Tra(^rs    to  take  possession  of  the  land.     Father  Allouez  (dl ' -loo-a]  advanced 
West     without  hesitation  into  the  region,   built   mission   houses,  preached 
to   the  Chippewas  and   Sioux  and   proclaimed  the    king  of   France 
sovereign  of  the  dusky  people. 

While  among  the  Sioux,  Father  Allouez  heard  of  a  mighty  river, 
called  by  the  Indians  the  Father  of  Waters.  The  news  which  he 
sent  back  to  Quebec  caused  Fathers  Marquette  (mar-ket'}  and  Dablon 
to  set  out  with  the  resolve  to  rear  the  cross  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
distant  solitudes.  These  two  men  labored  with  much  success  among 
the  Chippewas  and  aided  the  political  designs  of  Joliet,  who  followed 
them  thither.  Marquette's  interest  in  the  Mississippi  was  deepened 
by  the  many  accounts  he  heard  from  the  Indians  regarding  it,  and  he 
and  Joliet  ascended  the  Fox  River  to  the  watershed  between  the 
immense  streams  and  the  Lakes.  They  used  light  birch  canoes, 
which  were  carried  across  to  the  Wisconsin,  clown  which  they  floated 
to  the  main  river  itself,  called  by  the  Indians  "  Mississippi,"  meaning 
The  Great  Water.  Marquette  and  his  companions  descended  the 
Mar-  chief  stream,  past  the  turbid  Missouri  and  the  clearer  waters  of  the 

quette  Ohio  and  other  rivers,  stopping  at  many  points  to  hold  friendly 
meetings  with  the  natives.  They  continued  their  course  down  the 
stream  until,  satisfied  that  it  did  not  flow  into  the  Atlantic  or  the 
Pacific  oceans,  the  little  party  turned  about  and  reached  Green  Bay, 
in  Lake  Michigan,  early  in  the  autumn.  They  used  light  sails  over 
their  canoes  and  found  their  help  valuable.  Marquette  labored  for 
two  years  more  among  the  Indians  in  the  country  surrounding  the 
present  city  of  Chicago.  Then,  worn  out  by  toil  and  suffering,  he 
lay  down  and  peacefully  died,  surrounded  by  his  loving  companions, 
who  laid  him  tenderly  in  the  earth  and  marked  the  grave  with  a  large 


CHAP,  xxn     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA 


301 


cross.  Father  Marquette  was  one  of  the  several  discoverers  of  the 
Mississippi  whose  memory  will  always  be  cherished  by  those  that 
come  after  him. 

Let  us  now  go  back  to  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
It  was  an  important  period  in  our  history.  New  England  was  in  a 
prosperous  condition  and  had  just  brought  King  Philip's  War  to  a 
close ;  Bacon's  Rebellion  had  been  subdued  in  Virginia ;  New  York 
had  passed  from  under  Dutch  to  English  rule,  and  William  Penn 
was  turning  his  attention  to  America  as  a  land  of  refuge  for  the  per- 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


MARQUETTE    AND    HIS    COMPANIONS 

secuted  of  his  sect.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  most  remarkable  of 
all  explorations  of  the  Mississippi  was  made  by  the  Frenchman, 
Rene  Robert  Cavalier,  known  in  American  history  from  an  estate  of 
his  family  in  France,  as  the  Sieur  de  la  Salle  (Itih-sdl). 

It  has  been  already  shown  that  the  Spaniards  were  the  real  dis 
coverers  of  the  Mississippi.  In  1519,  Pineda  described  a  great 
river  flowing  from  the  north,  which  must  have  been  the  Father  of 
Waters,  seen  twenty-two  years  later  by  De  Soto,  who  reached  the 
stream  about  the  middle  of  its  course.  La  Salle*  belonged  to  an  old 

*  The  Sieur  de  la  Salle  [1643-1687],   was  in  early  life  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
Jesus,  but,  renouncing  the  church,  came  to  Canada  in  1666,  during  Count  Frontenac's 


La 

Salle 


302 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


PERIOD  in  and  rich  burgher  family  at  Rouen.  He  was  educated  for  the  priest 
hood,  but  his  ardent  temperament  and  independent  bearing  led  him 
to  adopt  a  secular  life.  Having  a  brother  a  member  of  the  Sulpician 
order  in  Canada,  he  joined  him  at  the  age  of  twenty-three-years. 
Young  La  Salle  obtained  a  grant  of  territory  at  the  head  of  the 
rapids  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and,  by  the  close  of  1668,  had  begun  a 
palisaded  post,  subsequently  known  as  Fort  Frontenac,  and  had  a 
considerable  tract  of  land  under  cultivation.  His  intention  seemed 
to  have  been  to  spend  his  life  there  as  a  landed  gentleman ;  but  he 
soon  became  so  fascinated  with  visions  of  exploration  that  nothing 
else  possessed  any  charm  for  him.  One  day,  in  the  winter  of  1668—69, 
a  party  of  Seneca  Indians  visited  the  post,  and  in  their  picturesque 
way  described  the  course  of  a  river,  rising  in  their  country  and 
flowing  southward  for  so  great  a  distance  that  it  would  take  a  canoe, 
as  they  said,  eight  or  nine  months  to  follow  it  to  the  sea.  Since  this 
represented  more  miles  than  belonged  to  the  Mississippi,  mighty  as 
it  is,  they  must  have  included  with  it  the  course  of  the  Alleghany 
and  the  Ohio  rivers.  In  this  great  stream,  La  Salle  saw .  the  water 
way  which  had  been  searched  for  in  vain  ever  since  the  time  of 
Cartier,  and  which  he  believed  must  have  its  outlet  in  the  Gulf  of 
California.  If  such  were  the  fact,  it  would  give  to  France  a  water 
highway  to  the  South  Sea,  and  a  route  to  China,  as  convenient  as 
that  which  the  Spaniards  followed  from  Acapulco  (d-kd-pooV -ko] . 

Fired  by  the  resolve  to  explore  this  great  stream,  La  Salle  applied 
to  the  authorities  of  Quebec  for  help.     Count  Frontenac,  then  gov- 


The 
Missis 
sippi 


administration,  and  acquired  a  seigniory  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  near  the  site  of  the  present 
Canadian  city  of  Kingston,  Ont.  Fond  of  adventure,  he  brought  himself  to  the  notice 
of  Governor  Frontenac,  by  his  activity  in  extending  the  outposts  and  influence  of  the 
French  among  the  Western  tribes,  and  Frontenac  made  him  commandant  of  the  fort  at  the 
foot  of  Lake  Ontario  and  aided  him  materially  in  prosecuting  his  explorations.  In  1674, 
he  visited  France  to  report  upon  his  discoveries,  and  there  received  important  grants  from 
the  crown,  and  was  also  ennobled.  He  returned  to  Canada  in  1678  and  traversed  the 
Great  Lakes,  founding  outposts  of  France  on  the  site  of  what  is  now  the  city  of  Detroit, 
and  at  Michilimackinac,  on  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw.  Entering  Lake  Michigan,  he  sailed 
across  to  Green  Bay,  from  which  he  proceeded  southward  to  the  St.  Joseph  River,  on  the 
banks  of  which  he  established  Fort  Miamis,  and  also  founded  a  trading-post  on  the  site 
of  modern  Chicago.  In  1682,  he  descended  the  Illinois  and  the  Mississippi  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  and  named  the  region  Louisiana.  In  the  following  year,  he  returned  to 
France,  and,  in  1684,  proceeded  once  more  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  with  the  de 
sign  of  founding  a  colony.  Failing  to  reach  his  destination  he  spent  a  couple  of  years  in 
Texas,  and  in  1687  lost  his  life,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  in  a  fruitless  attempt  to  reach 
the  Mississippi — the  goal  of  his  hopes. 


CHAP,  xxn     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA  303 

ernor  of  New  France,  gave  him  letters  patent,  authorizing  him  to  PERIOD  in 
make  discoveries,  and  commended  him  to  the  rulers  in  Virginia  and     ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

Florida,  should  his  researches  take  him  into  their  dominions.     Thus      .   IN 

/VMERICA 

armed,  as  may  be  said,  La  Salle  returned  to  Cataraqui,  at  the  foot  of  J758 
Lake  Ontario,  where,  as  has  been  related,  he  erected  a  fort,  and  in  1783 
July,  1669,  sold  all  his  landed  property,  and,  on  the  day  that  the 
deed  was  signed,  his  little  flotilla  left  the  post  at  the  head  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  and  steered  westward.  His  party  numbered  twenty,  most 
of  whom  he  had  selected,  the  rest  being  furnished  by  the  Sulpicians, 
who  wished  to  establish  an  agency  of  their  order  in  the  western  re 
gion.  La  Salle  first  went  to  the  Seneca  villages  for  guides.  Pass 
ing  into  Lake  Ontario,  he  followed  the  southern  shore  to  Irondequoit 
Bay,  and  there  made  his  way  to  the  Jesuit  mission,  only  to  find  that 
the  missionaries  had  gone  to  Onondaga.  They  had  left  an  interpreter 
behind  who  told  them  of  a  broad  prairie  land  to  the  south,  which 
stretched  many  miles,  without  trees,  and  of  a  people  who  lived  in  a 
warm  and  productive  country,  near  a  river  whose  flow  was  such  that 
it  must  empty  into  the  Mexican  Gulf  or  the  Vermilion  Sea.  The 
river  thus  referred  to  was  the  then  undiscovered  Ohio.  Heading  La 
westward,  the  flotilla  passed  the  Niagara  River  without  entering,  but  western 


heard  the  distant  roar  of  the  cataract,  and  in  time  reached  the  ex- 

treme  western  end  of  Lake  Ontario.     At  that  point  the  party  di-    1669-71 

vided,  the  Sulpicians  taking  the  trail  to  Grand  River  and  Lake  Erie. 

The  precise  course  of  La  Salle  after  parting  with  the  Sulpicians  is 

not  known  with  certainty.     The  claim  has  been  made  that  he  discov 

ered  the  Ohio  in  1670,  and  by  it  reached  the  Mississippi,  and  that  a 

year  later  he  went  by  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Chicago  portage,  and 

reached  the  "  Great  Water"  a  second  time  by  the  channel  of  the  Illi 

nois.     In  Montreal,  however,  the  expedition  was  considered  as  hav 

ing  wholly  failed  of  its  object. 

Count  Frontenac  was  appointed  governor  of  New  France,  in  1672, 
and  the  following  year  he  strengthened  the  fort  named  in  honor  of 
himself,  at  Cataraqui  [now  Kingston,  Ontario],  at  the  eastern  end  of 
Lake  Ontario.  He  formed  plans  also  at  Niagara  for  another  fort 
and  for  building  a  vessel  on  Lake  Erie,  his  object  being  to  shut  out 
the  Dutch  and  English  from  the  waters  of  the  upper  lakes.  He  was 
a  friend  of  La  Salle,  and  in  1674  sent  him  to  France  to  urge  the 
favoring  of  his  plans  by  the  French  government.  La  Salle  did  his 
duty  so  well  that  the  king  granted  Fort  Frontenac  and  the  adjacent 


304  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 


PERIOD  in    lands  to  him  as  a  seigniory,  and  in  recognition  of  the  services  he 
ENGLAND    proposed  to  render  in  New  France  gave  to  the  explorer  a  patent  of 
AMERICA     nobility.     He  was  bound  to  an  agreement  to  rebuild  the  fort  of  stone 
J758       masonry, — apparently  a  trifling  condition,  but  one  which  afterwards 
1783       caused  trouble.     La  Salle  occupied  himself  for  a  time  in  increasing 
the  efficiency  of  Frontenac  as  a  trading-post.     He  did  this  work  ef 
fectually,  gathering  settlers  within  the  walls,  and  afterwards  made  his 
way,  in  company  with  a  Franciscan  missionary  and  explorer,  named 
Father  Hennepin,  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  which  it  is  supposed  they 
were  the  first  white  men  to  see.     Passing  on  beyond  the  falls,  La 
Salle  built  and  launched  a  small  vessel,  called  The  Griffin,  on  Lake 
Erie.     No  doubt  he  had  come  to  believe  that  it  was  easy  to  open 
communication  with  the  Mississippi  valley  by  way  of  the  Maumee 
and  Wabash,  and  to  extend  French  trade  beyond   Niagara  in  that 
direction. 

In  1677,  La  Salle  again  visited  France,  where  he  obtained  author 
ity  from  the  king  to  establish,  during  a  term  of  five  years,  other 
posts  to  the  south  and  west  of  I^ort  Frontenac.  His  relatives  ad 
vanced  him  the  needed  funds,  and  he  secured  the  support  of  a  re 
markable  man  named  the  Chevalier  Tonti.  He  was  the  son  of  an 
Italian  refugee  and  stood  loyally  by  the  explorer  to  the  end.  It  is 
worth  while  perhaps  to  know  that  the  system  of  Tontine  life  insur 
ance  received  its  name  from  this  person.  La  Salle  sailed  from 
Rochelle,  France,  in  1678,  taking  with  him  shipwrights  and  me 
chanics,  including  anchors,  sails,  and  cordage,  for  the  vessel  he  built 
on  Lake  Erie.  Now  came  three  years  of  severe  trial  to  La  Salle. 
The  vessel  built  for  Lake  Erie  foundered ;  another  vessel  begun  on 
the  banks  of  the  Illinois  River,  had  to  be  abandoned ;  efforts  to  es 
tablish  fortified  posts  on  the  same  river  failed,  and  the  explorer  was 
repeatedly  betrayed  and  deserted  by  friends  whom  he  trusted.  Fi 
nally,  in  August,  1 68 1,  he  again  faced  westward  with  about  fifty  per 
sons  in  his  train,  and  in  the  course  of  three  months  reached  Fort 
Miami,  where  he  divided  his  party.  The  larger  division,  under  Tonti 
and  a  French  priest  named  Membre  (maum'bra),  passed  around  the 
head  of  Lake  Michigan  one  hundred  miles  to  the  Chicago  River, 
and  then  dragged  their  loads  over  nearly  three  hundred  miles  of 
frozen  streams  to  the  Illinois.  Following  the  Kan  Ka  Kee  route,  La 
Salle  joined  them  early  in  January,  1682.  Open  water  was  found 
for  their  canoes  at  Fort  Crevecceur  (krev-kuir).  La  Salle's  ruined 


306  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 

PERIOD  in    post  on  the  Illinois,  and  February  6th  they  glided  out  upon  the  MIS- 
ENGLAND     sissippi,  known   at    the  time  as  the   Colbert  River.*     The   canoes 

AND  r  RANGE 

AMERICA     6o&ted  past  the  mouth  of  the  Osage  (Missouri)  and  the  Ohio,  which 
X758       La  Salle  it  seems  failed  to  identify  as  the  stream  discovered  .by  him 
i783       in  1669,  probably  because  he  supposed  that  river  reached  the  sea 
through  a  basin  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

In  February,  1682,  the  explorers  had  penetrated  southward  to  the 
third  Chickasaw  bluff,  and  the  following  month  found  them  in  the 
region  of  the  Arkansas  Indians.  On  the  I4th  of  March,  La  Salle 
planted  a  post  updn  which  he  hung  the  arms  of  France,  as  notice  to 
all  that  the  whole  Mississippi  valley  was  claimed  by  that  country. 
Entering  the  territory  of  the  Natchez  Indians,  the  Frenchmen  were 
impressed  by  their  ways  and  manner  of  worship.  A  peculiar  relig 
ious  caste  was  found  among  them,  and  one  of  their  buildings  was 
dignified  with  the  name  of  a  temple.  La  Salle  slept  in  their  village 
and  again  set  up  the  emblem  of  French  authority.  The  mouth  of 
the  Red  River  was  passed  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  and  on  April 
6th  they  saw  the  Mississippi  dttide  into  three  channels.  The  party 
separated  into  the  same  numbePBf  divisions,  and  La  Salle  led  one  of 
them  down  the  w.est^gS1  passant  Three  days  later,  they  came  to 
gether  again  and  an  interesting  ceremony  was  performed  within  one 
of  the  outlets.  The  usual  column  was  set  up,  proclamation  was 
made  in  the  name  of  the  king,^nd  France  assumed  dominion  over 
the  whole  watershed  of  the  grelSKtream.  The  Voxilla  Regis  and 
Te  Deum  were  sung,  a  notary  drew  up  the  record,  and  the  immense 
stretch  took  its  name  in  history  as  Louisiana.  A  leaden  plate,  with 
the  facts  engraved  upon  it,  was  buried  at  the  foot  of  the  columns. 
.  Now  observe  the  enormous  area  of  ancient  Louisiana  as  contrasted 

Area  of    with  that  of  the  present  large  State  of  that  name.     The  boundaries, 
ana  in"    as  fixed  in  1684,  were  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  westward  to  the   Rio 
1684       Grande,  thence  northwesterly  to  the  vague  watershed  of  what  is  now 
known   as   the    Rocky   Mountains,  with   a  shadowy   line  along  the 
sources  of  the  upper  Mississippi  and  its  higher  tributaries,  bounding 
on  the  height  of  land  which  shut  off  the  valley  of  the  great   Lakes 
until  the  Appalachians  were  reached.     The  line  followed  these  moun 
tains  south,  kept  to  the  northern  limits  of  Spanish  Florida,  and  then 

*  So  named  after  the  great  French  statesman,  Jean  Baptiste  Colbert  (kol-bar} ,  Louis 
XIV's  minister  of  state  and  controller-general.  Colbert  died  at  Paris  in  1683,  in  his 
sixty-fourth  year. 


CHAP,  xxii     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA 


307 


turned  to  the  Gulf.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  the  vast  extent  of  this 
domain.  The  floods  which  coursed  the  great  basin  drained  an  area 
of  more  than  twelve  hundred  thousand  square  miles.  La  Salle  was 
the  first  Frenchman  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  from  the 
north. 

The  return  was  begun  with  gloomy  prospects.  Food  was  so  scarce 
that  they  were  glad  to  eat  the  flesh  of  alligators,  and  the  Indians 
were  hostile.  Several  fights  took  place,  and  La  Salle  was  ill  for  six 
weeks,  during  which  time  no  one  believed  he  could  recover.  When 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCB 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


THE    HARDSHIPS   OF   THE    EXPLORERS 

the  journey  was  resumed,  he  was  so  weak  that  he  could  hardly  walk. 
He  was  anxious  to  reach  Quebec,  but  upon  entering  the  Illinois 
country  was  obliged  to  stay  for  some  time  to  protect  the  missionaries 
and  traders.  De  la  Barre  was  now  governor  of  New  France,  and  he  re 
warded  La  Salle  for  his  discoveries  by  taking  away  his  forts  at  Fron- 
tenac,  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  at  Starved  Rock,  on  the  Illinois  River. 
When  La  Salle,  as  full  of  pluck  as  ever,  landed  in  France,  Decem 
ber  23,  1683,  he  was  bankrupt.  The  importance  of  the  work  done 
by  the  intrepid  explorer  was  partly  recognized  in  his  native  land. 
When  he  submitted  to  the  king  his  scheme  for  conducting  an  expe- 


308 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxii 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


La 

Salle's 
Final 
Expedi 
tion, 
1684 


dition  to  the  mouths  of  the  Mississippi,  it  was  accepted,  and  he  was 
treated  more  liberally  by  his  sovereign  than  he  had  asked.  His  com 
mission  authorized  him  to  plant  colonies  in  Louisiana,  and  to  govern 
the  enormous  territory  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Gulf  of  M'exico. 
He  was  also  furnished  with  one  war-ship,  ihejvfy,  of  thirty-six  guns, 
another  of  six  guns,  and  two  smaller  craft.  He  had  a  force  of  ma 
rines,  a  hundred  soldiers,  and  nearly  three  hundred  other  persons,  in 
cluding  women  and  children. 

This  little  fleet  sailed  July  24th,  but  did  not  leave  the  island  of 
San  Domingo  until  November  25th.  When  land  was  sighted,  a  month 
later,  it  was  believed  to  be  Appalachee  Bay,  three  hundred  miles  east 
of  the  Mississippi,  when  in  fact  the  vessels  were  a  hundred  miles 
west  of  that  river,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Atchafalaya  Bay.  Here  La 
Salle  anchored  and  waited  for  the  Joly,  which  he  had  outsailed.  On 
January  ^th,  he  discovered  an  opening,  which  it  is  believed  was  Gal- 
veston  Bay^  and  landed  a  few  days  later  on  what  was  probably  Mata- 
gorda  Island.  The  _/<?/?/  soon  appeared,  and  hef^captain  and  La  Salle 
mutually  tjRrmed  each  other,  and  finally  separated.  One  of  the  ships 
was  wrecked  on  a  sand-bar,  and,  as  another  HSxl  been  captured  by  the 
Spaniards,  \.\\ejoly  and  a  small  messenger  vessel  were  the  only  craft 
left.  The  company  landed  and  intrenched  a  camp,  which  was  a  wise 
precaution,  since  Ahg,  Indians  attacked  them,  killed  several  of  the 
French,  and  fir&l  the  prairie.  Disease  made  ravages,  too,  and  when 
the  captain  with  the  Joly  sailed  for  France,  March  12,  1685,  the 
colony,  which  had  lost  itself,  was  left  to  its  fate,  whatever  that  might 
prove  to  be.  Convinced,  at  last,  that  he  had  gone  far  astray,  La 
Salle  set  out  to  search  for  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  Before 
doing  so,  he  built,  with  the  material  of  the  wrecked  vessel,  Fort  St. 
Louis,  on  a  river  a  short  distance  from  the  head  of  the  bay.  The 
fort  was  finished  in  July,  1685,  and  during  the  following  year  and 
a  half  two  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made  to  reach  the  Mississippi 
by  land  expeditions  eastward  and  northeastward.  When  La  Salle 
returned  from  his  second  expedition,  he  found  that  death  and  deser 
tion  had  reduced  his  company  to  forty-five  souls. 

The  situation  was  now  so  desperate  that  twenty  men  were  left  at 
Fort  St.  Louis,  while  La  Salle  set  out  with  the  remainder  on  his  final 
search  for  the  Mississippi.  Nothing  was  ever  again  heard  of  the 
garrison  that  remained  behind.  In  the  party  under  charge  of  La 
Salle  were  his  nephew  Moranget  (md-ran-ge],  and  a  man  named  Du- 


MURDER   OF   X,A  SAI<I,E   IN   TEXAS. 


CHAP,  xxii     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA 

haut  (du-ko'}.  Starting  in  January,  1687,  they  followed  a  course 
mainly  northward.  The  rain  fell  almost  incessantly,  compelling 
them  to  spend  much  of  their  time  in  camp,  where  idleness  and  dis 
content  set  them  to  plotting,  a  fact  of  which  La  Salle  seemed  to  have 
had  no  suspicion. 

About  the  middle  of  March,  the  explorer  found  himself  within  a 
few  miles  of  a  spot  on  the  southern  branch  of  the  Trinity  River, 
where,  on  his  previous  visit,  he  had  buried  a  quantity  of  corn.  He 
sent  some  of  the  men  to  recover  it,  while  he  and  the  remainder  of 
the  party  stayed  behind.  Those  who  went  after  the  corn  found  it 
spoiled,  but  they  killed  a  buffalo  and  sent  back  for  the  horses  to  take 
the  meat  into  camp.  The  nephew  of  La  Salle,  while  a  division  of 
the  meat  was  under  way,  quarrelled  with  Duhaut,  who  shot  him,  and 
the  company  split  into  two  bitter  factions.  The  friends  of  Duhaut 
conspired  to  kill  La  Salle  also,  and  the  opportunity  was  not  long  in 
coming. 

The  explorer  feeling  anxious  over  the  delay  in  the  return  of  the 
foraging  party,. set  out  with  one  companion  to  learn  the  cause.  As 
he  drew  near  the  camp,  he  fired  his  gun  to  attract  attention.  This 
gave  the  conspirators  time  to  prepare  an  ambuscade.  When  he  came 
within  close  range,  two  shots  from  the  tall  brakes  stretched  him  life 
less.  The  body  was  stripped  and  left  a  prey  to  the  wolves.  The 
murder  of  La  Salle  did  not  become  known  in  France  until  October, 
1688.  Nothing  was  done  to  rescue  the  miserable  remnants  of  the 
colony  left  on  the  shore  of  the  Gulf.  Finally  an  order  was  sent  to 
the  governor  of  Canada  to  arrest  the  assassins  if  they  appeared  in 
that  province,  but  no  one  was  ever  punished  for  the  crime. 

The  energy  shown  by  La  Salle  in  his  explorations  was  typical  of 
the  vigor  of  the  French  nation  in  conquering  the  American  wilder 
ness.  Within  the  half-century  following  his  death,  France  had  made 
permanent  settlements  on  the  Maumee,  at  Detroit,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Joseph,  at  Green  Bay,  at  Vincennes  (vm-scnz'),  on  the  Mis 
sissippi  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia,  on  the  site  of  Natchez,  and 
at  the  head  of  Biloxi  (bfl-ox'-l)  Bay,  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  By 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  French  claimed  dominion 
over  all  the  American  continent  north  of  the  Spanish  possessions, 
excepting  the  strip  along  the  Atlantic  occupied  by  the  English  set 
tlements.  They  were  not  content  even  with  these  possessions :  they 
coveted  the  whole  country  and  set  about  to  obtain  it.  The  cordon 


309 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


La 

Salle's 

Tragic 

Fate 


3io  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 


PERIOD  in    of  fortifications  between  Montreal  and  New  Orleans  were  more  than 
AND  FR!N?E  s'lxty  m  number,  and,  as  the  next  step,  France  now  prepared  to  occupy 
AMERICA     tne  Ohio  Valley.     This  done,  the  English  provinces  would  not  have 
I758       a  foothold  west  of  the  Alleghanies.     The  steady  intrusion  of  the 
1783       French  alarmed  the  English,  and  especially  the  inhabitants  of  Vir 
ginia  and  Maryland,  who  had  proposed  planting  an  English  colony 
west  of  the  Alleghanies.     The  king  ordered  the  governor  of  Virginia 
to  grant  to  a  company  of  speculators  half  a  million  acres  of  land, 
lying  to  the  north  of  Ohio,  between  the  mouth  of  the  Kanawha  and 
the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Pittsburg.     The  name  of  the  associa 
tion  was  The  Ohio  Land  Company,  against  which  no  claim  for  quit- 
rent  was  to  be  made  for  a  period  of  ten  years.     The  company  was 
required  to  settle  at  least  one  hundred  families  on  the  tract,  and  to 
build  a  fort.     One  of  the  proprietors  was  Robert  Dinwiddie,  of  Scot 
land,  surveyor-general  for  the  southern  colonies,  and  afterwards  lieu 
tenant-governor  of  Virginia.     The  English  at  that  time  in  America 
numbered  about  a  million  and  a  half,  and  the  French  only  one  hundred 
thousand. 

By  her  ancient  charter,  Virginia  claimed  all  the  country  between 
her  western  borders  and  Lake  Erie,  and  the  formation  of  the  Ohio 
Company  was  for  the  purpose  of  shutting  out  intruders.  Thomas  Lee, 
Augustine  and  Lawrence  Washington,  and  other  Virginia  members 
The  Ohio  °^  t^ie  company,  ordered  goods  sent  from  London  suitable  for  the 
Land  Indian  trade,  and  took  measures  to  secure  the  friendship  of  the  red 
pany  men  within  the  territory.  In  order  to  gain  accurate  information  of 
the  tract  where  it  was  evident  the  first  collision  would  take  place, 
Christopher  Gist,  one  of  the  most  famous  scouts  and  woodmen  of  his 
time,  was  sent  into  the  territory  to  make  a  thorough  examination, 
learn  all  about  the  Indians,  and  prepare  a  chart  of  the  territory.  Gist 
set  out  from  Alexandria,  in  October,  1750,  travelling  on  horseback. 
He  made  his  way  across  the  Blue  Ridge  and  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
his  horse  at  times  floundering  through  the  deep  snow  or  swimming 
the  icy  streams,  and  finally  reached  Logstown,  where  it  was  intended 
to  hold  an  Indian  council.  Gist  said  he  was  an  ambassador  from 
King  George.  The  chief  was  cordial,  but  the  warriors  looked  at 
their  visitor  askance.  They  told  him  plainly  that  he  would  never  be 
allowed  to  settle  on  the  lands  in  the  Ohio  Valley;  but  Gist  was  a 
brave  man,  and,  instead  of  turning  back,  pushed  forward  to  the  Mus- 
kingum,  where  the  Wyandots  received  him  in  a  friendly  spirit.  At 


CHAP,  xxn     FRENCH    COLONIZATION    IN    AMERICA  311 

their  village,  he   found   an   agent  of  the   Pennsylvanians,  who  were    PERIOD  in 

astir,  through  fear  that  the  Ohio  Company  would  get  a  monopoly  of 

trade  with  the  Indians  of  the  northwest.     In  company  with  the  agent 

and  several  traders,  Gist  visited  the  Delawares  and  Shawanoes,  both 

of  which  tribes  expressed  good-will  towards  the  English  and  promised       1783 

to  attend  a  general  council  at  Logstown. 

The  next  visit  was  to  the  powerful  confederacy  of  the  Miamis, 
who  made  a  treaty  of  peace  and  alliance  with  the  English.  Gist  was 
filled  with  admiration  for  the  beautiful  country  and  went  on  almost  to 
the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  into  the  blue-grass  region  of  Kentucky. 
He  had  traversed  an  enormous  extent  of  territory,  and  at  the  end  of 
seven  months  went  back  with  his  information  to  Lawrence  Washing 
ton,  at  Mount  Vernon,  who  was  the  leading  director  of  the  Ohio 
Company.  The  great  council  of  the  western  tribes  was  not  held 
until  June,  1752.  Gist  was  present  as  the  agent  of  the  Ohio  Com 
pany,  and  Virginia  was  represented  by  several  commissioners.  The 
Indians  agreed  to  hold  friendly  relations  with  the  English,  but  Council 
sturdily  refused  to  recognize  their  title  to  lands  west  of  the  Alle-  °f  tthe 
ghanies.  They  were  equally  determined  with  the  French.  One  of  Tribes, 
the  chiefs  said  :  "  You  English  claim  all  the  land  on  one  side  of  the 
river  and  the  French  all  on  the  other  side:  where  is  our  land?" 
Gist  replied  :  "  The  red  and  white  men  are  subjects  of  the  British 
king,  and  all  have  the  same  right  in  taking  up  and  occupying  the 
land  in  accordance  with  the  laws  he  has  made." 

The  Ohio  Company  pressed  its  work  with  vigor.  Surveyors  were 
sent  into  the  country  to  prepare  it  for  settlement,  and  the  English 
traders  penetrated  further  and  further  and  built  up  a  trade  with  the 
Indians.  The  French  became  alarmed,  for  they  saw  in  this  move 
ment  a  proof  of  their  waning  influence  with  the  tribes  and  a  menace 
to  their  fortified  line  extending  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  So  in  1753  they  seized  and  imprisoned  a  number  of 
English  traders  and  surveyors  and  sent  more  than  a  thousand  soldiers 
to  build  forts  between  Lake  Erie  and  the  headwaters  of  the  Alle- 
ghany.  It  is  worth  noting  that  one  of  these  stood  on  the  present 
site  of  Erie,  then  known  as  Presque  Isle  (pres-keel*),  on  the  southern 
shore  of  the  lake  of  that  name  ;  another,  now  Waterford,  was  Le  Bceuf 
(leh-buf),  and  a  third  was  at  the  junction  of  French  Creek  and  the 
Alleghany  River,  where  now  is  the  town  of  Franklin.  This  action 
gave  offence  to  the  Ohio  Company,  and  since  its  lands  lay  within  the 


3i2  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxn 

PERIOD  in  jurisdiction  of  Virginia,  that  province  felt  it  to  be  her  duty  to  defend 
ENGLAND    tne  rights  of  the  company.     The  governors  of  Virginia  and  Pennsyl- 
AMERICA     vania  na^  been   ordered  from  England  to  drive  out  the  French  in- 
*758       truders,  by  force  of  arms  if  necessary,  for  the  feeling  in  both  provinces, 
1783       especially  in  Virginia,  which  was  most  directly  interested,  was  deep. 
Dinwiddie,  a  leading  director  of  the  Ohio  Company,  was  now  gov 
ernor  of  Virginia.*     He  was  an  able  man,  and  decided,  before  taking 
extreme  measures,  to  send  a  protest  to  the  French  commander,  M. 
de  St.  Pierre  (san  pe-air1),  who  was  at  Le  Bceuf.      So  he  prepared  a 
strong  remonstrance  against  the  intrusion  of  the  French  into  English 
or  Virginian  territory,  and  then,  without  hesitation,  picked  out  the 
man  to  carry  the  letter,  through  the  five  hundred  miles  of  wilderness, 
to  the  distant  French  post. 


*  Robert  Dinwiddie  (1690-1770),  Crown  Governor  of  Virginia  from  1752  to  1758, 
figures  interestingly  in  history  from  his  friendly  regard  for  the  youthful  Washington,  at 
the  outset  of  the  latter's  career,  and  whom  he  intrusted  with  his  first  mission,  half 
military,  half  diplomatic,  to  the  commander  of  the  French  posts  on  the  Ohio.  Dinwiddie, 
who  was  a  Scotchman  of  rather  irascible  temper,  was  for  a  time  a  civil  servant  of  the 
Crown  in  the  West  Indies,  where  he  held  a  post  in  the  Imperial  Customs.  In  1752,  he 
was  appointed  Lieutenant- Governor  of  Virginia,  and  one  of  his  earliest  acts,  after  organ 
izing  the  militia  of  the  colony  into  districts,  was  to  appoint  Washington,  then  in  his 
twenty-first  year,  to  the  command  of  one  of  them,  with  the  rank  of  major.  During  his 
regime,  he  was  active  in  inciting  the  colony  to  resist  French  encroachments  on  the 
western  frontier,  in  which  Washington  conspicuously  figured.  When  the  troubles  in 
creased,  he  fell  to  wrangling  with  the  Colonial  Assembly,  and  when  the  latter  retorted, 
and  almost  threatened  impeachment,  he  returned  to  England  in  1758,  and  died  there 
twelve  years  later.  Some  years  before  his  departure,  the  governor  promoted  Washington 
to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel ;  but  as  the  colonial  levies  were  to  be  placed  under  royal 
officers,  and  no  native  officer  was  to  hold  a  rank  higher  than  that  of  captain,  Washington 
resigned,  though  he  afterwards  served  under  Braddock  as  a  volunteer  aide-de-camp. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

YOUNG      WASHINGTON'S   JOURNEY     THROUGH     THE 

WILDERNESS 

[Authorities  :  The  present  chapter  brings  us  to  the  fateful  era  when,  as  it  has  been 
said,  "  the  firing  of  a  gun  in  the  woods  of  North  America  brought  on  a  conflict  which 
drenched  Europe  in  blood."  The  conflict  is  known  as  the  "Seven  Years' War."* 
Hostilities  between  the  two  nations  were  precipitated  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  by  the 
encroachment  of  the  English.  In  the  collision  between  the  two  races,  the  youthful 
Washington,  it  will  be  seen,  figures  and  begins  to  play  his  great  role  in  the  history  of 
the  Anglo-American  colonies.  The  expedition  on  which  he  now  sets  forth  brought  the 
young  officer  into  collision  with  Jumonville,  and  a  small  French  command,  which  he 
partly  killed,  and  partly  took  captive,  a  proceeding  so  precipitate  as  to  incite  the  French 
to  further  hostilities,  and  which  led  to  a  long  and  bitter  controversy..  In  the  encounter, 
Washington's  personal  bravery  was  early  exemplified,  though  the  consequences  of  the 
collision  were  more  far-reaching  than  either  he  or  the  colonies  at  the  time  thought  possi 
ble.  The  present  and  next  following  chapter  will  apprise  the  reader  of  what  occurred. 
The  authorities  for  the  period,  besides  Bancroft's  and  Hildreth's  histories,  and  W'insor's 
"  Narrative  and  Critical  History,"  are  Hart's  "  Formation  of  the  Union,"  Frothingham's 
"  Rise  of  the  Republic,"  Fiske's  "  The  American  Revolution,"  the  Canadian  histories  of 
Garneau  and  Kingsford,  the  English  histories  of  Green  and  Lecky,  and  the  biographies 
of  Washington,  by  Sparks,  H.  C.  Lodge,  and  Washington  Irving.] 

E  have  said  that  Governor  Dinwiddie  had  no  hesita 
tion  in  selecting  the  right  man  to  perform  the 
delicate  and  dangerous  duty  he  had  in  view.  The 
person  whom  he  had  selected  was  about  twenty- 
one  years  old,  six  feet  two  inches  in  height,  and  the 
swiftest  runner,  the  longest  thrower,  the  best 
wrestler,  the  most  skilful  horseman,  the  strongest 
swimmer,  and  the  finest  athlete  in  all  the  country 
round.  Besides  these  striking  physical  traits,  he  was  truthful,  high- 


*  During  the  eight  years'  peace  with  France  that  followed  the  Treaty  of  Aix-la-Cha- 


314  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxin 

PERIOD  in    minded,  a  fine  soldier  and  an  experienced  surveyor,  and  withal  the 
sou^  °^  h°nor>  a  person,  in  short,  who  from  his  earliest  boyhood  lived 


A   IN         in  accordance  with  the  Golden  Rule. 

AMERICA 


J758  Having  related  this  much,  there  can  hardly  be  any  need  of  naming 

1783  the  person  entrusted  with  the  commission.  His  honored  name, 
George  Washington,  stands  on  the  bead-roll  of  his  country.  Wash 
ington  was  born  in  a  large,  old-fashioned  house  in  Westmoreland 
county,  Virginia,  February  22,  1732.  Sometimes  the  date  is  given  as 
February  1  1,  O.  S.  This  is  in  accordance  with  the  Old  Style  of 
reckoning.  Towards  the  close  of  the  last  century,  the  astronomers 
saw  tnat  *n  or(^er  to  record  time  as  it  should  be  recorded,  it  was  nee- 


Styles  of  essary  to  add  eleven  days  to  the  date  then  current,  because  we  were 

puting     drifting  behindhand.     This  was  done,  the  method  being  referred  to 

Time      as  N    c^  or  New  Style.     Then  perfectly  to  adjust  matters  it  was  de 

cided  that  in  every  period  of  four  hundred  years,  three  leap  years 

should  be  omitted.     Thus  A.D.  1900  is  not  a  leap  year;  A.D.  2000 

will  be,  and  then  the  even  centuries  will  not  be  leap  years  until  A.D. 

2400  comes  round.     All  the  even  centuries  that  are  divisible  by  400 

are  leap  years  and  the  others  are  not. 

Now,  if  any  American  youths  happened  to  be  born  February  29, 

pelle,  there  had  been  considerable  ill-feeling,  as  is  shown  in  the  present  chapter,  between 
the  English  and  French  colonists  in  America,  and  in  distant  India,  which  led,  in  1756,  to 
a  renewal  of  hostilities  between  the  two  countries,  on  England's  taking  the  side  of  Prussia 
in  the  Seven  Years'  War.  This  war  had  broken  out  between  Frederick  the  Great  and  a 
confederacy  of  European  Powers,  consisting  mainly  of  Austria,  Russia,  Spain,  and 
France,  the  object  of  the  confederacy  being  to  crush  the  growing  power  of  Frederick  and 
to  partition  Prussia.  Between  England  and  France,  aside  from  European  complications, 
there  was  cause  enough  for  war,  in  the  desire  of  both  nations  to  settle  who  should  be  the 
masters  of  India  and  North  America.  On  the  latter  continent,  France,  as  we  have  seen, 
colonized  Canada  and  Louisiana,  while  England,  as  we  already  know,  had  established 
colonies  along  that  part  of  the  Atlantic  coast  which  separated  the  French  settlements.  To 
connect  the  latter  and  to  exclude  England  from  the  great  fur  trade  of  the  interior,  France 
began  to  erect  a  series  of  military  posts  from  the  Niagara  River  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mis 
sissippi.  This  action  was  naturally  resented  by  Britain  and  her  American  colonies,  and, 
in  1755,  the  conflict  began,  as  we  shall  discover  in  the  chapter  following  this,  by  an  attack 
on  the  French  forts  in  the  Ohio  Valley.  The  English,  as  we  shall  find,  however,  were  at 
first  not  successful,  and  their  general,  Braddock,  was  in  the  following  year  mortally 
wounded  and  his  troops  defeated  while  marching  to  attack  Fort  Du  Quesne.  From  the 
disastrous  consequences  of  this  defeat,  the  English  and  colonial  troops  were  in  large 
measure  saved  by  the  tactics  of  young  Washington,  who  now  comes  upon  the  scene  and 
enters  upon  his  notable  career.  Subsequent  successes  in  other  parts  of  the  Continent 
atoned  for  the  disaster,  and  three  years  later  came  the  fall  of  French  dominion  in  the 
New  World,  and,  within  the  same  period,  the  supremacy  of  English  arms  was  asserted  in 
India. 


CHAP,  xxni     YOUNG    WASHINGTON'S   JOURNEY 


315 


1896,  they  will  have  to  wait  eight  years  before  reaching  their  second 
birthday,  but  no  doubt  their  parents  will  see  that  they  are  not  de 
prived  for  so  long  of  a  celebration  of  the  anniversary  of  their  birth. 
George  Washington  was  a  diligent  student  at  school,  though  he  never 
attended  any  college,  and  he  cannot  be  said  ever  to  have  become  a 
profound  scholar.  He  was  popular  with  his  classmates,  since  he 
not  only  surpassed  them  all  in  athletic  sports,  but  always  "played 
fair."  He  never  deceived  another,  or  took  a  wrong  or  questionable 
advantage  of  any  one.  He  was  so  honest  in  this  respect,  that  when 
the  other  boys  got  into  a  dispute  they  appealed  to  him  to  decide  it, 
and  every  one  was  satisfied,  for  whatever  he  said  was  right.  The 
game  of  base-ball  was  unknown  in  those  days,  therefore  one  cannot 
be  quite  sure  that  there  might  not  have  been  a  situation  in  which 
the  youth  could  be  placed  where  his  decisions  would  not  always  have 
given  satisfaction. 

Young  Washington  had  a  liking  for  military  matters.  His 
brother  Lawrence,  being  the  elder,  was  sent  to  England  to  be  educated 
and  became  an  officer  in  the  British  army.  It  kindled  George's 
ardor  when  he  looked  at  his  handsome  brother  in  his  fine  uniform, 
and  he  drilled  his  playmates,  with  their  wooden  guns,  and  fought 
many  sham  battles,  with  as  much  earnestness  as  if  they  were  real 
soldiers.  Lawrence  was  proud  of  George  because  he  was  manly  and 
brave,  and,  moreover,  was  clean  in  his  words  and  actions.  He  saw 
what  a  splendid  midshipman  he  would  make,  and  advised  him  to  be 
come  one.  Nothing  could  have  suited  the  younger  brother  better, 
and  he  made  ready  to  go  to  sea.  The  expression  on  his  mother's 
face,  however,  told  the  son  that  something  troubled  her,  and  when  he 
tenderly  asked  the  cause  she  said  she  could  not  bear  the  thought  of 
his  leaving  her.  "Then  I  shall  not  go,"  said  George,  glad  that  it 
was  in  his  power  to  bring  back  the  sunshine  to  the  face  that  was 
dearer  to  him  than  all  the  world  beside.  The  reader  may  be  sure  that 
the  mother  was  gratified  at  this  evidence  of  filial  consideration,  for 
George's  father  had  died  when  the  boy  was  only  eleven  years 
old,  and  he  was  left  in  charge  of  the  noble  woman,  who  lived  to  see 
her  son  become  the  greatest  man  ever  born  in  America,,  One  cannot 
help  thinking  how  different  would  have  been  the  history  of  our 
country  if  Washington  had  not  cared  for  his  mother  and  had  become 
a  midshipman  in  the  British  navy.  George  was  so  skilful  a  surveyor 
that  when  he  was  but  sixteen  years  old,  Lord  Fairfax,  who  was  very 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

1783 


Wash 
ington's 
Boy 
hood 


HisDuti- 
fulness 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxui 


IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


PERIOD  in    fond  of  the  lad,  hired  him  to  survey  an  immense  area  of  mountainous 
ENGLAND    wilderness.     The  youth   traversed  tracts  of   the  Virginia  solitudes, 

AND  FRANCE  •? 

climbing  rugged  hills,  swimming  his  horse  through  turbid 
torrents,  sleeping  in  the  open  woods  beside  his  lonely  camp-fire, 
shooting  a  wild  turkey  or  deer  when  in  need  of  food,  and  building 
up  a  robust  health  and  a 
great  store  of  strength  and 
endurance.  He  was  en 
gaged  in  this  rough,  out 
door  life  for  three  years,  and 
did  his  work  so  well,  that 
Lord  Fairfax,  it  is  said, 


WASHINGTON    AND    HIS    MOTHER 


CHAP,  xxiii     YOUNG    WASHINGTON'S    JOURNEY 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


paid  him  very  liberally  for  his  services.     In  many  cases  the  young   PERIOD 
man's  pay  amounted  to  twenty  dollars  a  day. 

At  nineteen  years  of  age  Washington  was  made  a  major  of  militia. 
He  received  lessons  in  military  drill  from  a  veteran  swordsman,  and 
was  so  well  liked  that  when  the  change  in  the  militia  organization 
of  Virginia  took  place,  and  it  became  necessary  to  relieve  most  of  the 
officers,  Washington  was  kept  in  command  of  one  of  the  military  dis 
tricts.  So  Governor  Dinwiddie,  one  day  in  October,  1753,  sent  a  re 
quest  to  Major  Washington  to  call  at  his  office,  at  Williamsburg, 
which  was  then  the  capital  of  Virginia.  The  young  officer  obeyed 
with  alacrity.  The  meeting  in  the  governor's  plainly  furnished  office 
was  an  interesting  one.  Dinwiddie  was  more  than  three-score  years 
old,  short,  stout,  with  a  bald  head,  and  very  nervous  and  fidgety  in 
his  manner.  He  looked  admiringly  at  the  stalwart  Virginian,  tower 
ing  above  him,  with  his  florid  face,  his  noble  mien,  and  fine  physique, 
and  explained  the  delicate  mission  which  he  wished  to  intrust  to  him. 
Washington  replied  that  he  would  be  ready  to  set  out  as  soon  as  the 
letter  to  the  French  commander  should  be  placed  in  his  hands. 

Now  the  reader  must  not  suppose  that  all  Washington  had  to  do 
was  to  carry  the  governor's  letter  to  the  French  post,  five  hundred 
miles  away,  and  bring  back  the  officer's  reply.  That  of  itself  was  a 
great  task,  but  much  more  was  required  of  him.  He  was  to  proceed 
to  Logstown,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ohio,  fourteen  miles  below  the 
site  of  Pittsburg,  bring  together  the  leading  Indian  chiefs  in  that 
region,  explain  to  them  the  purpose  of  his  visit,  and  ask  them  to  give 
him  an  escort  to  the  headquarters  of  the  French  commander,  to  whom 
the  governor's  letter  was  to  be  handed,  and  from  whom  a  reply  was 
to  be  brought ;  learn,  if  possible,  the  number  of  French  troops  that 
had  crossed  the  lake ;  the  number  and  strength  of  the  enemy's  forts, 
their  location,  and,  in  brief,  to  gather  all  the  information  possible 
about  the  doings  and  intentions  of  the  French  in  the  region.  Wash 
ington  left  Williamsburg,  October  3ist,  1753.  His  companions  were 
John  Davidson,  Indian  interpreter,  Jacob  Van  Braam,  who  spoke 
French,  Christopher  Gist,  the  hunter,  who  acted  as  guide,  and  four 
other  men,  two  of  whom  were  Indian  traders.  They  took  with  them 
extra  horses,  tents,  and  baggage.  At  the  mouth  of  Will's  Creek,  now 
the  Cumberland,  Maryland,  they  bade  good-by  to  civilization  and 
climbed  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  which,  early  as  it  was  in  the 
season,  were  already  covered  with  snow. 


His 

Early 

Mission 


COPYRIGHT    1896, 


FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY   J.    STEEPLE    DAVIS 

WASHINGTON   AND   GOVERNOR    DINWIDDIE 


CHAP,  xxni     YOUNG   WASHINGTON'S   JOURNEY  319 

What  might  seem,  during  its  early  stages,  a  pleasant  excursion  was    PERIOD  in 
accompanied  by  the  severest  hardships.     The  valley  streams  were     ENGLAND 
overflowing,  and  such  as  could  not  be  waded,  were  crossed  on  treach- 
erotis  rafts,  which  often  broke  apart  and  plunged  the  men  into  the 
chilling  waters.     The  month  of   November  was   nearly  gone  when 
they  arrived  at  the  Forks  of  the  Ohio,  where   Pittsburg  now  stands. 
There  they  rested  a  few  days  and  then  made  their  way  to  Logstown. 
They  had  now  reached  a  point  within  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
of  the  headquarters  of  M.  de  St.  Pierre,  the  French  commander. 

Among  the  Indians  gathered  at  Logstown  was  a  chief  named  Half-      Chief 
King,  who  had  protested  against   the  invasion  of  his  country  by  the      King 
French,  but  was  thrust  aside.      He  was  a  strong  friend  of  the  Eng 
lish  under  the  ingenuous  belief  that  they  came  merely  to  establish 
trade,  when   in   truth    their  purpose   was  the  same  as   that   of  the 
French.      Half-King,  with   two  other  chiefs  and  a  trained  warrior, 
agreed  to  escort   the  eight  Virginians   to  the  French  headquarters. 
Still  meeting  all  manner  of  hardships  and  perils,  the  party  early  in 
December    reached   Fort    Venango    (now    Franklin),    which   was    a 
French  outpost  in   charge  of   M.  Joncaire   (jon-kat*).     He  received 
the  white  men  with  courtesy,  but  tried  to  persuade,  without  success, 
the  Indians  to  desert  them.     Ascending  the  French  Creek,  the  party 
reached   Fort   Le  Boeuf,  where  the  French  commandant  was  found. 
He  was  a  polite  old  soldier,  who  treated  his  visitors  with  courtesy, 
entertaining  them  for  four  days,  at  the  end  of  which  he  handed  his 
sealed  reply  to  Washington.     Meanwhile,  the  young  Virginian  had    with  the 
kept  his  eyes  and  ears  open  and  obtained  valuable  information.     Ex-     F£^h 
pressing  his  thanks  to  M.  de  St.  Pierre  for  his  hospitality,  Washington     mander 
and  his  companions  set  out  on  their  return  journey  to  Williamsburg. 

It  was  now  the  depth  of  winter,  and  the  return  was  a  great  deal 
harder  than  had  been  the  coming.  The  weather  became  intense 
ly  cold,  and  the  snow  in  many  places  was  several  feet  deep.  When 
the  party  reached  Venango,  the  pack-horses  were  so  exhausted  that 
they  gave  out.  Washington  and  Gist  dismounted,  and  turned  over 
their  animals  to  assist  in  carrying  the  baggage.  Then  each  strapped 
a  few  articles  on  his  back,  and  these  two  hardy  fellows  bade  their 
friends  good-by  and  pressed  forward  on  foot  through  the  sleet  and 
snow  and  fearful  cold.  One  needed  to  have  rugged  health  and 
great  endurance  to  undergo  the  experience  that  was  theirs  day  after 
day  and  night  after  night.  The  soft,  crunching  snow  often  reached 


320  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxm 

PERIOD  in  above  their  knees,  and  the  heavy  boots  were  at  times  saturated  with 
ENGLAND    the  rain  and  slush.     The  ice  which  bore  them  for  some  distance  from 

AND  I"  RANGE 

AMERICA  snore  sometimes  gave  away  further  out  and  let  them  sink  to  their 
J758  armpits  in  the  current  rushing  beneath.  In  the  natural  openings 
1783  or  clearings,  the  gale  blinded  them  with  the  whirling  snow.  Many  a 
time,  on  rising  in  the  morning,  their  wet  clothing  was  frozen  to  their 
bodies.  Not  one  man  in  a  thousand  could  have  undergone  what 
young  Washington  and  the  veteran  Gist  passed  through.  But  they 
bravely  pushed  on  until  they  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  Alleghany 
River,  whose  swollen  current  was  filled  with  masses  of  rushing  ice. 
There  was  only  one  way  of  crossing  the  stream,  which  was  by  means 
of  a  raft.  They  spent  the  day  in  putting  it  together,  and  shoved  out 
from  shore  as  the  wintry  night  was  closing  in.  They  were  instantly 
Return  in  danger  of  having  the  structure  knocked  to  fragments.  Washing- 
Journey  ton  was  piying  a  poie  wjth  all  his  strength,  when  the  action  of  the 
ice  flung  him  into  water  a  dozen  feet  deep.  On  his  back  was  his 
pack,  with  his  rifle  strapped  to  it,  and  his  clothing  was  thick  and 
cumbrous,  so  that,  despite  his  great  power  and  skill,  he  might  have 
been  drowned  had  he  not  seized  one  of  the  logs  of  the  raft  that  was 
knocked  apart  by  the  force  of  the  current.  The  men  were  flung 
upon  a  small  island,  where  they  lay  all  night,  without  an  ember  of 
fire,  or  a  particle  of  food,  and  half-frozen  to  death.  Washington  suf 
fered  no  injury,  but  most  of  Gist's  fingers  and  toes  were  frozen. 
This  island,  near  Lawrenceville,  Pennsylvania,  is  still  known  as 
Washington's  Island.  In  the  morning  the  surface  of  the  river  was 
solid,  and  the  two  walked  on  it  to  the  mainland. 

Encountering  an  Indian,  they  pressed  him  into  their  service  as 
guide.  He  was  a  treacherous  rogue,  who  was  so  very  friendly  at 
first  that  the  white  men  became  suspicious  of  him.  He  asked  Wash 
ington  to  allow  him  to  carry  his  gun,  but  the  young  Virginian  was 
prudent  enough  to  keep  it  in  his  own  hands.  One  afternoon  the  In 
dian  deliberately  raised  his  rifle  and  fired  at  Washington,  when 
barely  fifty  feet  distant,  but  missed  him.  Gist  leaped  upon  the  sav 
age,  flung  him  to  the  earth,  and  would  have  killed  him  had  not 
Washington  interfered.  He  was  allowed  to  go,  and,  fearful  that  he 
would  lead  a  party  in  pursuit,  the  two  travelled  all  night.  Nothing 
more,  however,  was  seen  or  heard  of  the  fellow.  On  the  i6th  of 
January,  1754,  Washington  and  Gist  reached  Williamsburg,  and  the 
reply  of  St.  Pierre  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Governor  Dinwiddie 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

CAMPAIGN   OF  7755 

[Authorities :  The  collision  between  the  Virginia  frontiersmen  and  the  intruding 
French  in  the  Ohio  Valley  led  to  the  despatch  of  European  troops  by  the  mother  nations 
of  both  belligerents,  and  to  a  more  serious  test  of  strength,  first  of  all  in  the  region  west 
of  the  Alleghanies.  In  1754,  England  sent  out.  a  couple  of  regiments,  under  General 
Braddock,  to  co-operate  with  the  Colonial  forces  in  occupying  the  debatable  territory,  and 
in  keeping  the  French  in  check.  Military  reinforcements  were  also  sent  out  by  France, 
under  Baron  Dieskau,  a  Dutch  general  in  the  French  service,  accompanied  by  a  new 
governor,  the  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil.  At  a  meeting  of  the  English  Colonial  governors,  it 
was  decided  to  attack  the  French  posts  on  the  Ohio,  on  the  Niagara  River,  on  Lake 
Champlain,  and  at  Beausejour,  in  Acadia.  The  present  chapter  relates  the  incidents 
connected  with  the  various  projects,  together  with  some  account  of  the  expulsion  of  the 
French  neutrals  from  Acadia — a  lamentable  war  necessity  of  the  period.  Besides  the 
authorities  quoted  at  the  head  of  the  previous  chapter,  the  reader  will  do  well  to  refer  to 
the  following  supplementary  works  as  throwing  further  light  upon  the  military  operations 
of  the  year,  and  the  tragedy  in  Nova  Scotia:  Parkman's  "Wolfe  and  Montcalm," 
Hannay's  "Acadia,"  Richard's  "Acadia,"  Murdoch's,  and  Judge  Haliburton's  "Nova 
Scotia."] 


E  reply  of  St.  Pierre  was  what  might  have  been 
expected.     Being  a  soldier,  who  knew  his  duty,  he 
wrote  that  it  did  not  become  him  to  discuss  civil 
matters ;  that  Dinwiddie's  letter  should  have  been 
sent  to  the  Marquis  Du  Quesne  (doo-kdne1},  gov 
ernor  of  Canada,  under  whose  orders  St.  Pierre  was 
acting,  and  which  required  him  to  remain  where  he 
was  and  follow  his  instructions.     Dinwiddie  laid 
this  letter  before  his  council,  and  it  was  decided  not  to  wait  for  the 
legislature  to  meet,  the  members  of  which  gave  little  thought  to  the 
impending  danger.     The  instructions  sent  from  England  authorized 


322 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 
1783 


Virgin 
ia's 

Aggres 
sive 
Meas 
ures 


Chief 
Half- 
King's 
Message 


the  governor  to  call  for  the  enlistment  of  two  hundred  men  to  pro 
ceed  to  the  Ohio  River  and  build  two  forts,  before  the  French  could 
forestall  them.  Washington  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant-colonel 
and  given  command  of  the  troops  to  be  raised. 

While  the  enlistment  was  under  way,  the  legislature  came  to 
gether  and  issued  an  appeal  to  the  other  colonies  to  assist  Virginia 
in  the  work  she  had  begun.  All  save  North  Carolina  were  backward 
in  answering  the  appeal,  for  there  was  much  disputation  between  the 
royal  governors  and  colonial  assemblies  over  the  respective  rights  of 
the  Americans  and  of  parliament.  The  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses 
voted  ;£  1 0,000  towards  fitting  out  an  expedition  and  authorized  the 
raising  of  a  regiment  of  six  companies.  Joshua  Fry,  a  gentleman  of 
English  birth,  was  appointed  colonel,  with  Washington  as  his  assist 
ant.  A  bounty  was  offered  of  two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land 
on  the  Ohio,  to  be  divided  among  the  soldiers  who  enlisted,  and 
Alexandria  was  fixed  upon  as  the  rallying-place  of  the  volunteers.  It 
was  on  the  recommendation  of  Washington  that  the  Forks  of  the  Ohio 
(the  site  of  Pittsburg)  were  selected  as  a  point  for  the  fort  to  be 
erected.  His  recent  visit  had  shown  him  the  natural  strength  of  the 
place. 

The  precious  days  were  passing,  and  Washington  was  ordered  to 
march  from  Alexandria  with  the  advance  of  the  military  force  and 
aid  Captain  Trent,  who  had  already  gone  thither,  to  complete  the 
fortification,  arid  "  drive  away,  capture,  or  kill  "  all  who  interfered  with 
the  English  settlement  of  the  country.  Washington  left  Alexandria 
in  April  and  arrived  at  Will's  Creek  (now  known  as  the  Cumberland) 
on  the  2Oth.  While  on  the  road  a  strange  message  reached  him.  It 
was  from  his  old  friend,  Chief  Half-King,  who  notified  him  that  the 
French  had  lately  embarked  at  Venango,  on  the  Alleghany,  and  the 
Indians  were  in  a  state  of  consternation.  "  Come  to  our  help  as  soon 
as  you  can,"  besought  Half-King,  "  or  we  are  lost."  Washington 
sent  back  word  by  the  messenger  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  help  him 
and  would  lose  no  time  in  doing  so.  Before  reaching  Will's  Creek, 
another  Indian  runner  met  Washington  with  the  news  that  the 
French  were  at  the  Forks.  The  report  was  confirmed  the  following 
day  in  a  startling  manner,  when  one  of  Trent's  men  brought  word 
that  a  thousand  French  soldiers,  with  eighteen  cannon,  three  hun 
dred  canoes,  and  sixty  bateaux,  had  descended  the  Alleghany  and 
taken  possession  of  the  partly  finished  fort.  There  was  some 


CHAP.  XXIV 


CAMPAIGN    OF    1755 


323 


exaggeration    in    this    report,    but,  there    was    no   doubt    that    the    PERIOD  in 
French  had   occupied  the  commanding  position  at  the  Forks  of  the 

Ohio.     They  speedily 
completed  the  fort  and 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 


1783 


s 


THE     MESSAGE    FROM    CHIEF    HALF-KING 


named  it  Du  Quesne,  in  compliment  to  the  then  governor  of  Canada. 
Without  waiting   for   Colonel  Fry,  Washington  pressed  on  with 


324 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


First 

Conflict 

in  the 

French 

and 
Indian 
War 


his  small  force,  and,  after  much  labor,  arrived  late  in  May  within 
forty  miles  of  Du  Quesne,  at  which  point  a  warning  came  from 
Half -King  that  the  French  had  prepared  an  ambush  for  the  .de 
struction  of  the  Virginians.  The  rain  was  falling  in  torrents  and 
the  night  was  intensely  dark ;  but  with  forty  picked  men,  Wash 
ington  tramped  six  miles  through  the  forest  to  Half-King's  camp, 
where  he  formed  a  plan  with  the  friendly  Mingo  to  surprise  the 
French.  The  Indians  and  Virginians  advanced  in  single  file, 
along  parallel  lines,  until  at  daybreak  they  discovered  the  am 
buscade.  Washington  was  at  the  head  of  his  men,  with  a  musket 
in  his  grasp.  The  instant  he  saw  the  Frenchmen,  he  discharged 
his  gun  at  them  and  gave  the  order  to  his  men  to  fire.  Hence,  it 
came  about  that  the  first  hostile  shot  in  the  French  and  Indian 
War  was  fired  by  Washington. 

Although  the  attack  was  a  surprise  to  the  French,  they  fought 
with  great  spirit.  When  Jumonville  (zJioo-mon-veel*\  their  com 
mander,  and  about  a  dozen  of  his  men  were  killed,  the  conflict  was 
ended.  Only  one  Virginian  lost  his  life,  and  twenty-two  Frenchmen 
were  taken  prisoners.  The  news  of  the  fight  made  a  deep  impression 
throughout  the  colonies  as  well  as  in  England  and  France.  Few 
failed  to  see,  despite  its  slight  nature,  the  great  struggle  which  it 
made  inevitable  and  which  would  never  cease  until  either  France  or 
England  became  master  of  the  New  World.  Washington  fell  back 
to  the  stockaded  fort  he  had  hastily  thrown  together  under  the  name 
of  Fort  Necessity;  Colonel  Fry  died  at  Will's  Creek,  and  Washing 
ton  took  the  chief  command.  Reinforcements  had  been  promised 
and  were  said  to  be  on  the  way,  but  only  a  few  soldiers  from  South 
Carolina  arrived.  Half-King  and  forty  other  Indians  brought  their 
families  to  the  fort,  and  the  care  of  them  became  a  great  burden  to 
Washington.  His  force,  in  all,  numbered  barely  four  hundred,  but 
weak  as  it  was  he  marched  with  it  against  Fort  Du  Quesne.  On 
the  road  he  received  news  that  M.  de  Villiers,  brother  of  Jumonville, 
was  advancing  against  him  with  six  hundred  soldiers  and  a  thousand 
Indians.  Washington  thereupon  fell  back  on  Fort  Necessity,  which 
was  attacked  July  3d.  Though  a  severe  rain-storm  prevailed,  the 
assault  was  maintained  without  cessation  for  ten  hours,  and  the  loss 
of  life  on  both  sides  was  considerable. 

The  French  had  so  far  gained  the  advantage,  but  despite  that  fact 
De  Villiers  proposed  a  parley.  Washington's  force  was  so  much  in- 


326 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Surren 
der  of 
Fort 

Neces 
sity 


The 
Albany 

Con 
gress, 

1754 


ferior  that  he  saw  he  was  certain  to  be  defeated ;  hence,  when  the 
Frenchmen  offered  honorable  terms  they  were  accepted.  The  Vir 
ginian  agreed  to  surrender  the  fort,  on  the  condition  that  he  and  his 
men  should  withdraw  from  the  stockade  with  the  honors  of  war.  He 
also  agreed  to  restore  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  engagement  with 
Jumonville,  and  to  give  a  pledge  not  to  erect  any  fort  or  post  west 
of  the  mountains  for  the  space  of  one  year.  It  is  noteworthy  that 
this  surrender  took  place  on  the  4th  of  July.  All  its  terms  were  ob 
served  by  both  parties,  and  Fort  Necessity  was  destroyed. 

Before  this  time,  the  need  for  joint  action  on  the  part  of  the 
colonies  was  so  evident  that  a  convention  was  called  at  Albany  on 
the  I  Qth  of  June,  1754.  Twenty-five  delegates,  representing  every 
colony  north  of  the  Potomac,  appeared,  including  representatives  also 
from  the  Iroquois  Confederacy  or  Six  Nation  Indians.  The  last- 
named  step  was  a  wise  one,  for  those  Indians  were  growing  restless 
through  the  intrigues  of  French  agents,  and  there  was  danger  of 
their  becoming  enemies  of  the  English.  The  Colonial  governors  ex 
plained  to  the  British  government  its  action  in  inviting  the  various 
Colonial  assemblies  and  the  leaders  of  the  Six  Nations  to  the  con 
vention  which  assembled  in  Albany. 

The  management  of  the  Six  Nations  was  a  delicate  task.  They 
were  at  this  time  inclined  to  support  the  French,  and  made  no  secret 
of  their  preference.  James  De  Lancey,  acting-governor  of  New 
York,  was  chairman,  and  was  authorized  to  represent  Virginia,  while 
the  famous  philosopher,  Benjamin  Franklin,  was  the  most  prominent 
member  of  the  convention.  By  the  exercise  of  great  tact,  the  Iro 
quois  chiefs  were  won  over,  and,  with  some  reluctance,  they  signed 
a  treaty  pledging  themselves  to  support  the  English  in  the  impend 
ing  war  with  the  French.  A  far-reaching  step  was  taken  by  this 
convention — one  that  foreshadowed  the  great  struggle  that  was  to 
come  twenty  years  later.  The  Massachusetts  delegation  went  to  Al 
bany  with  the  question  of  a  union  of  the  thirteen  colonies  for  mutual 
defence.  It  was  favorably  received,  and  a  committee,  consisting  of 
one  delegate  from  each  colony  represented,  was  named  to  prepare  a 
draft  of  a  Federal  Constitution.  Franklin  was  the  mender  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  when  the  committee  met,  that  wise  man  had  his 
scheme  ready,  for  he  saw,  more  clearly  than  any  other  person,  the 
urgent  and  increasing  need  of  the  country. 

Franklin's   plan    made   Philadelphia  the    capital   of   the    colonial 


CHAP,  xxiv 


CAMPAIGN    OF    1755 


327 


league,  with  a  governor-general  appointed  and  supported  by  the 
crown  of  England,  while  the  legislative  authority  was  vested  in  Con- 
gress,  whose  members  were  to  be  chosen  every  three  years  by  the  gen- 
eral  assemblies  of  the  respective  provinces.  The  ratio  of  representa- 
tion  was  to  be  proportioned  to  the  contribution  of  each  colony  to  the 
general  government,  no  one  colony  being  allowed  more  than  seven  or 
less  than  two  representatives.  The  governor  was  to  appoint  all  mili 
tary  officers,  and  to  have  the  power  of  vetoing  objectionable  legisla 
tion.  To  Congress  was  given  the  appointment  of  all  civil  officers, 
the  raising  of  troops,  the  levying  of  taxes,  the  superintendence  of 
affairs,  the  regulation  of  commerce,  and  the  general  duties  of  govern 
ment.  Congress  was  to  meet  annually,  choose  its  own  officers,  and 
remain  in  session  not  longer  than  six  weeks. 

It  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  relative  strength  of  the  col 
onies  at  this  time  to  name  the  number  of  representatives  to  which 
each  was  entitled  by  Franklin's  scheme.  They  were  :  Massachu- 
ssetts  Bay,  7  ;  Virginia,  7  ;  Pennsylvania,  6  ;  Connecticut,  5  ;  Mary- 
land,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  New  York,  each  4  ;  New 
Jersey,  3  ;  New  Hampshire  and  Rhode  Island,  each  2  ;  Georgia,  at 
this  time  was  so  in  significant  a  province  that  she  was  not  included  in 
the  scheme.  "  The  Plan  of  Union,"  after  earnest  debate,  was  adopted 
by  the  Congress  at  Albany,  the  Connecticut  delegates  alone  oppos 
ing  its  adoption.  It  was  then  submitted  to  the  Lords  of  Trades  and 
Plantations  in  England.  That  body  disapproved  of  the  measure,  and 
declined  to  lay  it  before  the  king.  The  colonies  objected  to  the  veto 
feature.  So  it  turned  out  that  the  attempt  to  please  the  king  and 
the  people  resulted  in  a  failure  to  please  either. 

England,  however,  saw  that  she  must  recover  the  ground  already 
lost  and  maintain  her  honor  against  her  old  and  aggressive  rival. 
France  was  sending  reinforcements  to  America,  and  strengthen 
ing  her  defences  at  Crown  Point  and  Fort  Niagara.  She  was  exul 
tant  over  her  success  in  western  Pennsylvania,  and  England  decided 
to  create  a  new  colony  in  that  section.  There  was  as  yet  no  declara 
tion  of  war  between  the  two  nations,  who  were  continually  assuring 
each  other  of  their  pacific  intentions  and  their  profound  esteem, 
while  making  vigorous  preparations  the  while  for  the  conflict  that  all 
saw  was  coming.  General  Edward  Braddock,*  a  distinguished  officer, 

*  Major-General    Edward    Braddock    [1695-1755],    son   of  a  general   in   the  British 
army,  was  born  in  Perthshire,  Scotland,  and  in  1710  became  an  ensign  in  the  Coldstream 


PERIOD  in 


AM™JCA 


1783 


The 
Union 


General 
dock" 


328  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 

PERIOD  in  was    recalled    from    Ireland,   appointed   commander-in-chief  of  the 
ENGLAND     British  forces  in  America  and  was  sent  to  Virginia  with  two  regri- 

AND  FRANCE 

AMERICA     ments  °f  regular  troops.     France  at  the  same  time  despatched  three 
J758       thousand  soldiers  to  Canada. 

TO 

*783  In  obedience  to  orders,  Braddock,  on  arriving,  called  a  council  of 

colonial  governors,  who  met  him  at  Alexandria,  April  14,  1755. 
The  decision  reached  was  that  since  there  had  been  no  declaration 
of  war,  Canada  should  mot  be  invaded,  but  three  separate  plans  of 
campaign  were  agreed  upon. 

General  Braddock,  the  commander-in-chief,  was  to  proceed  against 
Fort  Du  Quesne,  capture  the  place,  and  expel  the  French  from  the 
Ohio  valley.  Governor  Shirley,  of  Massachusetts,  was  to  equip  a 
regiment  and  attack  Fort  Niagara,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara 
River,  and  Fort  Frontenac  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario.  Colonel 
William  Johnson,  the  government  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs 
among  the  Six  Nations,  was  to  enroll  a  force  of  volunteers  and  Mo 
hawks,  and  with  them  capture  Crown  Point,  on  Lake  Champlain. 

Guards.  Thirty-five  years  later,  while  on  duty  at  Gibraltar,  he  attained  to  a  lieutenant- 
colonelcy,  and  for  a  time  saw  active  service  in  Holland.  In  1754  he  became  a  major- 
general,  and  through  the  interest  of  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  he  was  appointed  to  a  com 
mand  in  America.  Arriving  in  Virginia  with  Commodore  Keppel's  fleet,  in  February  of 
the  following  year,  he  set  out  against  Fort  Du  Quesne  with  a  large  force,  Colonel  George 
Washington  accompanying  him  as  one  of  his  aides-de-camp.  After  many  delays,  the  expe 
dition  reached  Little  Meadows,  whence  Braddock  pushed  on  with  twelve  hundred  picked 
troops,  regulars  and  provincials,  for  the  Monongahela  River,  which  was  reached  on  the 
8th  of  July.  On  the  following  day,  heedless  of  Washington's  caution  against  too  precipi 
tate  a  movement  and  an  exposed  order  of  march,  the  head  of  the  column  encountered  an 
ambuscade  of  French  and  Indians  in  the  dense  woods  within  eight  miles  of  Fort  Du 
Quesne.  Familiar  with  Indian  fighting,  the  Virginian  levies  discreetly  sought  shelter, 
but  Braddock  unwisely  marshalled  his  men  in  platoons  and  thus  exposed  them  to  so  hot 
afire  that,  after  a  time,  they  broke  and  fled.  Braddock  strove  bravely  to  re-form  his  men, 
but  without  success,  while  he  himself  was  struck  down  by  a  bullet  and  was  carried  off  the 
field.  Disorder  now  became  a  rout,  and  the  whole  column  fell  back  upon  Great  Mea 
dows,  nearly  sixty  miles  in  the  rear.  Here,  on  Sunday  the  I3th,  Braddock  died  and  was 
hastily  interred,  the  small  remnant  of  the  expedition  returning  to  Virginia,  covered  in  its 
retreat  by  Washington.  The  failure  and  rout  of  the  expedition  naturally  provoked  much 
comment,  of  a  deprecatory  kind,  on  Braddock's  manner  and  methods.  There  was  no  im 
peachment  of  his  courage,  but  only  of  inexperience  of  military  tactics  in  the  backwoods, 
and  an  overweening  confidence  in  his  "  regulars"  and  in  himself.  Franklin  rightly  says 
of  him  :  "He  was,  I  think,  a  brave  man,  and  might  have  made  a  good  figure  in  some 
European  war,  but  he  had  too  much  self-confidence,  and  had  too  high  an  idea  of  the  va 
lidity  of  European  troops,  and  too  low  an  one  of  Americans  and  Indians."  See  Winthrop 
Sargent's  monograph  on  Braddock,  Vol.  V.,  *'  Memoirs  of  Historical  Society  of  Pennsyl 
vania  (Philadelphia,  1856),  Montcalm's  "  Wolfe  and  Montcalm,"  and  an  illustrated  arti 
cle  on  Colonel  Washington,  by  Woodrow  Wilson,  in  Harper' s  Magazine,  March,  1896. 


WASHINGTON'S  ATTACK    ON    THE    FRENCH   IN   THE    RAVINE. 


CHAP.  XXTV 


CAMPAIGN    OF    1755 


329 


A    fourth      Cam-      PERIOD  III 


paign  was  in  pro 
gress  at  that  time 
in  Nova  Scotia, 
which  it  was  agreed 
should  be  pressed, 
until  the  French 
were  driven  from 
the  province. 
Time  was  impor 
tant,  and  none  of 
it  was  lost  in  push 
ing  on  these  varied 
and  aggressive 
schemes.  Three 
thousand  New 
England  troops 
sailed  from  Boston, 
May  20,  1755,  un 
der  command  of 
General  John 
Winslow,  a  great- 
grandson  of  Ed 
ward  Winslow,  who 
came  over  in  the 
Mayfloiver.  Land 
ing  near  the  head 
of  the  Bay  of  Fun- 
dy,  they  were  joined  by  Colonel  Monckton  and  a  force  of  regulars. 
There  were  only  two  fortified  French  posts  in  the  province,  both  on 
the  neck  of  land  uniting  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick.  Beause*- 
jour  (bo'-zay-joor),  the  principal  one,  stood  at  the  head  of  Chignecto 
Bay,  while  the  other,  Gaspereaux,  was  on  the  north  side  of  the 
neck.  The  French  commander  had  no  suspicion  of  his  danger  until 
the  English  fleet  appeared.  The  landing  was  made  June  3d,  and  the 
siege  of  the  fort  (Beausejour)  was  begun  the  following  day.  No 
effective  resistance  was  offered,  and  the  fort,  with  the  whole  penin 
sula,  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  English  before  the  close  of  the 
month.  The  French  soldiers  were  sent  to  Louisbourg,  and  the  Aca- 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


The 
Cam 
paign  in 
Nova 
Scotia 


GENERAL    EDWARD     BRADDOCK 


AMERICA 


330  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 

PERIOD  in  dians  were  granted  an  amnesty,  owing  to  their  being  forced  into  the 

ENGLAND       French   SCrVlCC. 

AND  FRANCE 

Now,  it  will  be  recalled,  that  the  province  of  Acadia,  or  Noya 
Scotia,  was  ceded  to  England  by  France  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,. 
*783  in  1713,  and  this  invasion  and  conquest  of  it  by  the  English  has 
a  curious  look  ;  but  it  was,  in  fact,  still  a  French  province,  whose 
population  (almost  wholly  French-speaking)  numbered  sixteen  thou 
sand.  It  was  deemed  a  necessary  war  measure  that  this  colony 
should  be  crushed.  Another  reason  for  this  action  by  the  English 
colonial  authorities  was  this,  that  the  French  —  "neutrals,"  they 
were  called  —  incited  by  their  kinsmen  at  Louisbourg  and  Quebec, 
and  especially  by  a  meddlesome  priest  named  La  Loutre,  constantly 
violated  their  neutrality  by  engaging  in  hostile  acts  against  the  Eng 
lish-speaking  minority,  until  forbearance  was  no  longer  a  virtue. 

The  conquest  having  been  made,  and  the  French  population  con 

tinuing  not  only  more  numerous  than  the  English,  but  becoming 

increasingly  hostile,  the  condition   of  affairs  grew  intolerable,  and 

decisive  measures  became  a  necessity.     After  fully  considering  the 

grave  situation,  the  chief-justice  of  the  province  (Belcher)  and  the 

British  admiral  (Boscawen)  agreed  with  Governor  Lawrence  that  the 

only  effectual,  though  painful,  remedy  was  to  drive  the  whole  French 

Expul-     population  out   of   the  country.     The    scenes   which  followed  this 

S1the°      cruel  but  politic  decision  are  among  the  most  pathetic  in  history. 

Aca-      First,  an  oath  of  allegiance  was  prescribed  which  might  necessitate 

1755'     tne  neutrals  fighting  against  their  own  countrymen,  though  afterwards 

a  modified  formula  was  framed.     By  advice   of  the  priests,  the  ig 

norant  and  secretly  hostile  people  refused  the  oath,  though  they  de 

clared  their  loyalty  to  their  conquerors.     When  their  boats  and  fire 

arms  were  taken  from    them,   many  became  so  terrified  that  they 

offered  to  take  the  oath.     They  were  answered  that  it  was  then  too 

late. 

The  country  was  filled  with  the  smoke  of  burning  dwellings  ;  the 
peaceful  hamlets  were  laid  waste,  and  the  helpless  inhabitants  driven 
into  the  larger  towns  along  the  seaboard.  By  proclamation  all  the 
people  were  ordered  to  assemble  on  the  5th  of  September,  1755,  in 
their  respective  villages.  At  Grand  Pre  (pro)  near  Minas  Basin,  in 
the  Bay  of  Fundy,  four  hundred  and  eighteen  men  presented  them 
selves  and  were  marched  into  church.  The  doors  were  closed  and 
guarded,  and  then  General  Winslow,  commander  of  the  New  Eng- 


CHAP.  XXIV 


CAMPAIGN   OF    1755 


331 


land  troops,  rose  and  read  the  royal  proclamation,  which  told  the 
Acadians  that  their  lands,  tenements,  cattle,  and  live  stock  were  for 
feited  to  the  Crown,  with  all  their  effects,  except  their  money  and 
household  goods.  They  were  ordered  to  make  ready  at  once  to  leave 
the  country.  From  Grand  Pre  alone  were  driven  nearly  two  thou 
sand  souls,  including  the  helpless,  the  sick,  and  the  aged.  These  and 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1753 

TO 
1783 


THE    DEPORTATION    OF    THE    ACADIANS 

five  thousand  more  broken-hearted  French  Acadians  were  distributed 
among  the  different  colonies.  They  were  peremptorily  ordered  by 
the  soldiery  into  the  waiting  boats,  and  as  the  weeping  victims  turned 
to  take  a  last  look  at  their  loved  homes,  they  saw  through  their 
streaming  tears  their  dwellings  in  flames.  A  land  of  fertility  and 
beauty  became  the  abode  of  woe  and  desolation.  The  decree  which 
enforced,  and  the  circumstances  which  called  for,  the  expulsion  of 
the  Acadians  have  been  variously  commented  on  by  historians,  most 
of  them  agreeing  that,  however  deplorable  the  act,  it  had  become  a 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


Brad- 
dock's 
disas 
trous 
Cam 
paign, 
1755 


necessity  of  the  situation.  Longfellow,  in  his  poem  "  Evangeline," 
tells  the  story  from  the  sentimental  rather  than  from  the  strictly 
historic  point  of  view,  and  with  a  poet's  license  as  well  as  with'  a 
heart  of  pity. 

Meanwhile,  General  Braddock's  campaign  in  the  Ohio  valley  had 
begun  and  ended.  He  assembled  his  forces  at  Alexandria,  and  Col 
onel  Washington,  by  invitation,  joined  the  expedition,  but  only  as 
a  volunteer.  The  whole  force,  including  regulars  and  provincials 
(about  equally  divided),  was  two  thousand  men.  General  Braddock 
was  a  quick-tempered,  conceited  man,  very  overbearing,  harsh  in  his 
manner,  though  resolute  and  brave.  When  he  looked  at  the  provin 
cials,  he  laughed  with  contempt.  Washington,  who  was  always 
guarded  in  his  expressions,  wrote  of  him  :  "  He  is  incapable  of  argu 
ing  without  warmth,  or  giving  up  any  point  he  asserts,  be  it  ever 
so  incompatible  with  reason  or  common-sense."  From  the  first 
everything  seemed  to  go  wrong  with  the  ill-fated  expedition.  The 
Virginia  contractors  failed  to  send  the  necessary  provisions,  or  trans 
portation  for  the  material  of  war.  When  the  troops  were  well  on 
the  march,  they  received  their  supplies  through  the  activity  of 
Franklin.  The  army  left  Fort  Cumberland  on  the  last  day  of  May 
and  had  a  march  before  it  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  to  reach 
Fort  Du  Quesne.  The  column  was  strung  out  for  a  distance  of 
four  miles,  Sir  Peter  Halket  leading  the  advance,  with  five  hundred 
picked  men,  and  Braddock  following  with  the  main  body.  The 
progress  was  so  slow  that  the  French  had  plenty  of  time  in  which 
to  prepare  for  attack.  Washington  could  not  repress  his  impatience, 
and  it  was  through  his  own  urgency  that  more  vigor  was  put  into  the 
movement.  The  provincials  were  under  his  charge,  but  their  eager 
ness  was  checked  by  the  regulars. 

On  the  8th  of  July  the  advance  reached  the  forks  of  the  Monon- 
gahela  (mo-non-ga-he'-la]  and  Youghiogheny  (yo'-/w-gd!-ne)  rivers, 
where  they  rested  until  the  following  morning.  Some  twelve  miles 
now  lay  between  them  and  Fort  Du  Quesne.  The  supports  were 
several  miles  to  the  rear,  and  Halket,  alarmed  at  the  carelessness  of 
his  superior  officer,  begged  him  to  be  more  careful,  since  they  had  a 
vigilant  foe  in  their  front  who  was  sure  to  seize  any  chance  pre 
sented.  Washington  knowing  the  danger  of  advancing  in  solid  pla 
toons,  as  if  against  a  civilized  foe,  urged  Braddock  to  dispose  his 
army  in  open  order.  The  British  commander  turned  angrily  on 


COPYRIGHT    1896, 


FROM    THE   ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY    H.    A.    OGDEN 

THE    BRADDOCK    MASSACRE 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


The 
Brad- 
dock 
Mas 
sacre 


Wash 
ington's 
narrow 
Escape 


him.  "  What !  do  you,  a  provincial  colonel,  presume  to  teach  a  Brit 
ish  general  how  to  fight  ?"  Washington  bit  his  lip  and  held  his 
peace,  but  his  heart  was  heavy,  for  he  felt  the  shadow  of  impending 
danger  closing  around  them. 

The  army  recrossed  the  Monongahela  to  the  north  side,  a  little 
distance  above  the  confluence  of  Turtle  Creek.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Thomas  Gage  led  the  advance  with  a  detachment  of  three  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  accompanied  by  a  working  party  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty,  with  guides  and  flanking  parties.  They  entered  a  road  hardly 
more  than  a  dozen  feet  wide,  and  enclosed  by  a  dense  undergrowth. 
It  was  the  very  place  which  an  Indian  foe  would  select  for  an  am 
buscade.  Suddenly  the  gorge  was  lit  up  by  a  burst  of  flame,  and 
the  air  resounded  with  the  crash  of  musketry  and  the  war-cries  of 
the  savages,  who  were  on  every  side.  From  behind  trees,  rocks,  and 
knolls  of  ground,  flashed  the  deadly  guns,  and  the  gloom  was  deep 
ened  by  the  clouds  of  arrows.  The  English  troops  were  caught  at 
a  hopeless  disadvantage. 

The  attacking  force  consisted  of  three  hundred  French  and  Can 
adians,  and  between  six  and  seven  hundred  Indians.  At  the  first 
return  fire  of  the  English,  de  Beaujeau  (bd-shrf\  one  of  the  French 
leaders,  was  killed.  The  vanguard  retreated  in  disorder,  leaving  their 
two  six-pounders  with  the  enemy.  Braddock  heard  the  firing,  and, 
leaving  four  hundred  troops  in  charge  of  the  baggage,  hurried  to  the 
front  with  the  bulk  of  the  column.  On  the  way,  they  met  the  routed 
vanguard,  who  were  firing  so  wildly  that  they  did  as  much  injury  to 
friends  as  foes,  while  their  invisible  enemies  poured  incessant  volleys 
into  the  struggling  mass.  No  man  ever  strove  more  valiantly  to 
rally  his  troops  than  did  General  Braddock.  He  partly  succeeded, 
and  the  unequal  battle  raged  for  more  than  two  hours.  The  French 
and  Indians,  encouraged  by  their  success,  pushed  further  along  the 
flanks  of  the  English,  and  the  wild  disorder  became  greater  than 
ever.  The  provincials  followed  Indian  tactics,  leaping  behind  cover, 
but  Braddock  had  no  patience  with  that  kind  of  warfare  and  re 
fused  to  adopt  it.  The  brave  but  rash  commander  had  five  horses 
shot  under  him  before  he  fell  mortally  wounded. 

The  escape  of  Washington  was  marvellous.  He  had  two  horses 
killed,  and  four  bullets  passed  through  his  coat.  His  tall  figure  at 
tracted  attention,  and  an  Indian  chief  not  only  singled  him  out  for 
death,  but  ordered  his  warriors  to  do  the  same.  Years  afterwards  the 


CHAP,  xxiv  CAMPAIGN    OF    1755  335 

chief  claimed  that  he  fired  a  dozen  times  at  Washington,  and  became    PERIOD  in 
convinced  that  he  was   under  the  protection  of  the   Great   Spirit. 
Who  dare  affirm  that  such  was  not  the  fact,  for  Washington  was 
never  wounded  in  battle  ?     When  a  bullet  through  Braddock's  lungs 
brought  him  gasping  to  the  earth,  Washington  ran  to  his  help.  1783 

"What  shall  we  do  now?"  feebly  asked  the  stricken  officer. 

"  We  must  retreat  at  once,"  replied  the  Virginian. 

Braddock  was  unwilling  to  do  this,  and,  partly  regaining  his 
strength,  he  continued  to  give  orders  for  some  minutes  while 
stretched  on  the  ground.  Word  coming  to  him  that  the  rear  of  the 
confused  mass  had  been  attacked,  and  that  the  French  and  Indians 
were  endeavoring  to  surround  the  force,  the  drums  beat  the  retreat. 
The  withdrawal  was  covered  by  Washington  and  his  small  force 
of  Virginians.  Artillery,  baggage,  ammunition,  provisions,  indeed 
everything,  including  the  dead  and  most  of  the  wounded,  were  aban 
doned.  The  survivors  were  allowed  the  chance  to  retreat,  because 
the  savages  stayed  behind  to  revel  in  the  spoils  that  had  fallen  into 
their  hands.  When  they  straggled  with  shouts  and  war-whoops  back 
to  Fort  Du  Quesne,  they  were  laden  with  scalps,  laced  coats,  bril 
liant  uniforms,  extra  firearms  and  weapons,  and  an  almost  endless 
variety  of  plunder. 

In  this  frightful  massacre  twenty-six  officers  were  killed  and  thirty- 
seven  wounded  out  of  a  total  of  eighty-two.  One-half  the  rank  and 
file  were  slain  or  disabled.  The  bravery  of  the  Virginian  troops  was 
attested  by  the  fact  that  out  of  three  companies  only  thirty  were  left 
alive.  On  the  side  of  the  enemy,  three  officers  and  thirty  men  were  Brad- 
killed  and  about  the  same  number  wounded.  General  Braddock  was  dock 
carried  to  Fort  Cumberland,  where  he  died  on  the  third  day  and  was 
buried  at  Great  Meadows.  The  burial  took  place  by  torchlight,  on 
the  evening  of  July  I5th.  Washington,  amid  a  group  of  sorrowing 
officers,  read  the  solemn  burial  service  of  the  Church  of  England. 
The  grave  may  be  seen  to-day,  close  to  the  National  Road,  between 
the  54th  and  55th  milestones.  The  troops  did  not  remain  at  Fort 
Cumberland,  but  abandoned  that  post  and  marched  to  Philadelphia. 
Washington  and  his  provincials  returned  to  Virginia,  and  thus  the 
campaign  ended  in  gloom  and  disaster. 

Governor  Shirley,  of  Massachusetts,  succeeded  Braddock  in  com-  Governor 
mand   of   the   British   forces   in  America.     He  was  to  conduct  the     Shirlev 
campaign  against  Forts  Niagara  and  Frontenac.     It  was  less  impor- 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 


tant  than  that  of  Braddock  and  brought  no  great  results.  The  march 
through  the  wilderness  from  Albany  to  Oswego,  on  the  southern 
shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  was  exhausting.  He  set  out  with  fifteen 
hundred  troops,  many  of  whom  were  disabled  by  sickness  before  he 
arrived  at  his  destination  in  August.  The  New  York  assembly 
voted  men  and  money,  and  the  Six  Nations  promised  many  warriors, 
but  both  pledges  were  only  partly  kept,  for  by  September  1st  the 
whole  force  in  camp  was  less  than  three  thousand.  Shirley  strength 
ened  the  tumble-down  fort  at  Oswego,  known  to  the  Indians  as 
Chouegan,  and  built  a  strong  one  on  each  side  of  the  river.  The  one 
on  the  east  bank  was  made  of  logs  and  earth,  and  the  other  had  a  stone 
wall.  Boats  were  also  constructed  to  take  Shirley's  troops  across  the 
lake,  but,  though  he  waited  all  through  September,  no  reinforcements 
came,  and  the  approach  of  winter  forced  him  to  abandon  the  expedi 
tion  for  the  season.  Seven  hundred  troops  were  left  in  the  garrison 
under  Colonel  Hugh  Mercer,  who  had  been  with  "  the  Pretender" 
at  Culloden,  and  with  the  remainder  the  governor  marched  back  to 
Albany. 

Marquis  de  Montcalm,  a  French  soldier  of  great  skill  and  energy, 
was  now  governor  of  Canada,  and  Shirley  worked  hard  to  reinforce 
and  provision  the  post  at  Oswego,  lest  it  should  fall  into  French 
hands.  This  done,  the  governor  returned  to  Massachusetts,  leaving 
his  aide-de-camp  Lord  Stirling  *  (William  Alexander),  in  New  York, 
with  Colonel  John  Bradstreet  as  commissary-general  at  Albany,  and 
Captain  Philip  Schuyler  (skl-ler)  his  chief  assistant.  Meanwhile, 
Colonel  William  Johnson,  who  possessed  almost  unbounded  influence 
over  the  Mohawk  Indians,  had  undertaken  the  assault  of  Crown  Point 
and  the  task  of  driving  the  French  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  He  was  at  the  head  of  three  thousand  four  hundred  troops, 
many  of  whom  were  Mohawks.  These  were  brought  together  near 
Fort  Orange,  on  the  upper  Hudson,  General  Phineas  Lyman  being  in 
command  of  the  New  England  forces.  The  army,  which  finally  as 
sembled  in  July  at  a  point  forty-five  miles  north  of  Albany,  numbered 
about  six  thousand  men. 

The  French  forces  at  Crown  Point  were  under  the  command  of 
Baron  Dieskau  (dees' -kow)y  who  with  two  hundred  regulars,  seven  hun 
dred  Canadians,  and  six  hundred  Indians,  sailed  up  the  lake  to  the  site 

*  Afterwards  Brigadier-General,  and  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Long  Island. 
Alexander  was  the  first  governor  of  King's  (now  Columbia)  College,  N.Y. 


CHAP.  XXIV 


CAMPAIGN   OF    1755 


337 


of  Whitehall,  then  called  South    PERIOD  in 
Bay.      There  he  learned  that 


ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

the  fort  built  by  General  Ly-     AM™ICA 
had 

1783 


man  a  no  cannon,  while 
Johnson  possessed  very  few, 
and  the  leaders  were  acting  as 
if  no  danger  threatened  them. 


m**  y^M\^  yfw 
7  \ 


THE  SHOOTING  OF   DIESKAU 


These  facts  led  Dieskau  to  organize  a  sudden  attack  upon  Fort  Ly- 
man,  thus  cutting  off  Johnson  from  his  supplies.  In  the  event  of 
success,  Dieskau  would  thus  open  the  way  to  Albany,  and  sever  the 
communication  with  Oswego,  when  he  would  attack  the  New  Eng- 


338  HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxiv 

PERIOD  in  land  border.  Discovering  his  danger,  Johnson  sent  a  thousand 
men  under  Colonel  Williams,  and  two  thousand  Mohawks  under  Chief 
Hendrick,  for  the  protection  of  the  fort,  whose  name  he  changed 
from  Fort  Lyman  to  Fort  Edward.  Dieskau's  intention  was  to  make 
1783  a  rapid  secret  march  upon  Fort  Edward,  but  his  guides  led  him 
astray,  and  at  the  end  of  four  days  he  was  on  the  path  to  the  head 
of  Lake  George,  four  miles  north  of  Fort  Edward.  On  the  evening 
of  September  7th,  Johnson  was  startled  by  the  arrival  of  an  Indian 
scout  with  news  that  the  enemy  in  large  force  had  landed  at  the  head 
of  Lake  Champlain.  Some  hours  later,  another  runner  came  in  with 
the  tidings  that  the  French  and  Indians  were  advancing  upon  Fort 
Edward.  Johnson  now  ordered  Colonel  Ephraim  Williams,  with 
twelve  hundred  soldiers  and  two  hundred  Indians,  to  march  to  the 
fort.  They  were  hurrying  to  obey  this  order,  when  they  ran  into  an 
ambush  prepared  by  Dieskau.  At  the  first  fire,  Williams  and  Chief 
Hendrick  and  a  large  number  of  men  were  killed.  Lieutenant  Whi 
ting  rallied  his  men,  returned  the  fire,  and  withdrew  towards  the  lake. 
Colonel  Johnson  now  did  that  which  he  ought  to  have  done  before  — 
made  vigorous  preparations  against  assault.  He  succeeded  in  get 
ting  his  cannon  into  position  at  the  moment  the  fugitives  and  their 
pursuers  came  in  view.  The  sight  of  the  "  big  guns"  so  terrified  the 
Indians  that  they  refused  to  attack,  while  they  were  also  unwilling  to 
fire  upon  their  kinsmen  the  Mohawks  ;  but  the  French  regulars  fell 
upon  them  with  great  spirit  and  bravery.  The  fight  in  front  of  Fort 
Edward  was  one  of  the  severest  that  had  been  fought  up  to  that  time 
in  this  country.  The  French  charged  with  great  gallantry,  the  Can 
adians  and  Indians  on  their  flanks  keeping  up  a  continuous  fire  on 
the  breastworks.  The  provincials  were  shaken  at  first,  but  soon  re 
gained  steadiness,  and  charged  in  turn  upon  their  assailants,  who 
were  scattered  in  all  directions,  though  the  French  regulars  displayed 
such  heroism  that  nearly  all  were  killed. 

Dieskau  was  thrice  wounded,  but  refused  to  retire.  Several  of 
his  aides  ran  forward  to  his  help.  One  fell  dead,  and  the  baron  or 
dered  the  others  to  leave  him  alone.  He  sat  down  on  a  log  and  con 
tinued  to  give  directions  as  coolly  as  if  on  parade.  A  Frenchman, 
fighting  on  the  side  of  the  English,  ran  forward  to  make  him  pris 
oner.  Dieskau  began  feeling  for  his  watch  to  offer  his  captor,  when 
the  latter,  supposing  he  was  about  to  draw  his  pistol,  shot  him.  The 
baron,  although  severely  wounded,  did  not  die,  but  was  carried  into 


CHAP.  XXIV 


CAMPAIGN    OF    1755 


339 


the  camp  of  the  victors,  where  he  received  the  kindest  attention  from 
General  Johnson  and  his  family.  The  Frenchman,  some  time  later, 
presented  an  elegant  sword  to  Johnson,  expressive  of  his  gratitude, 
and  after  he  was  exchanged  he  sailed  for 
France,  where  he  died  two  years  later  from 
the  effects  of  his  wounds. 

The  victory  by  the  shores  of  Lake  George 
was  a  dear  one  for  England,  but  following 
close  upon  Braddock's  disaster,  much  was 
made  of  it  in  that  country  and  in  the  sea 
board  colonies.  Colonel  William  Johnson, 
who  was  really  no  soldier,  was  also  wounded, 
but  for  his  services  on  this  occasion  the 
Crown  made  him  a  baronet  and  presented 
him  with  ^5,000.  He  erected  a  fort 
which  he  named  William  Henry,  and  hav-  SIR  WILLIAM  JOHNSON 

ing  strengthened  Fort  Edward,  the  troops  returned  to  their  homes. 
"The  Crown  Point  expedition,"  says  Parkman,  "was  a  failure  dis 
guised  under  an  incidental  success."  The  French,  on  their  part,  re* 
inforced  Crown  Point  and  fortified  Ticonderoga. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


CHAPTER    XXV 

CAMPAIGNS  OF  775^-7757 

[Authorities  :  The  events  detailed  in  this  chapter  continue  the  narrative  of  the  great 
struggle  between  France  and  England,  a  struggle  which  had  its  field  of  conflict  not  alone 
in  America,  but  in  the  East  Indies,  and,  by  the  outbreak  of  the  Seven  Years'  War  (1756- 
63),  on  the  European  Continent.  The  decisive  issues  of  the  strife  begin  to  be  seen 
when  the  elder  Pitt,  shaking  himself  free  from  corrupt  alliances  in  Parliament,  and  even 
from  the  dictation  of  the  King,  becomes  master  of  the  House  of  Commons  and  the  prac 
tical  ruler  as  well  as  the  idol  of  the  nation.  Until  Pitt's  guiding  hand  is  seen  and  his 
influence  felt  in  military  administration,  Loudon's  irresolute  and  incapable  command  on 
this  continent  has  to  be  borne  with,  and  the  disasters  faced  which  Montcalm  brought 
about,  in  concert  with  his  allied  savages,  in  the  vicinity  both  of  Lake  Champlain  and 
Lake  Ontario.  The  authorities  for  the  narrative  of  this  period,  besides  the  United  States 
histories  (see  especially  Bryant  and  Gay)  and  those  of  an  English  source  (see  especially 
J.  R.  Green  and  W.  H.  Lecky),  are  Winsor's  "Narrative  and  Critical  History,"  and 
Parkman's  "Montcalm  and  Wolfe."  The  "Correspondence  of  the  Earl  of  Chat 
ham"  (the  elder  Pitt)  might  be  profitably  referred  to  ;  also  Sparks'  "  Life  of  Washing 
ton"  (for  the  narrative  of  his  Western  expeditions),  and  Benjamin  Franklin's  Works  (for 
an  account  of  that  astute  diplomat's  relations  with  the  Albany  Congress) .] 

T  is  not  a  little  curious  that  while  all  this  fighting 
was  going  on  in  America,  England  and  France 
claimed  to  be  at  peace!  The  communications 
which  passed  between  the  two  governments  were 
models  of  hypocrisy.  But  the  farce  could  not 
continue,  and  on  the  i/th  of  May,  1756,  England 
declared  war  against  France,  and  the  latter  coun 
try  returned  the  compliment  on  the  9th  of  June. 

Thus  was  fairly  launched  the  great  struggle  between  those  nations 

for  supremacy  in  America. 

Shirley,  the  commander-in-chief,  had  called  a  convention  of  the 


/OQUnahiB. 


CHAP.  XXV 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1756-1757 


341 


royal  governors  at  New  York,  in  the  autumn  of  1755,  and  formed 
the  plan  of  campaign  for  the  following  year.  It  was  a  bold  one  and 
included  the  capture  of  Quebec,  Forts  Niagara,  Frontenac,  Du 
Quesne,  Detroit,  and  numerous  other  French  posts  in  the  northwest. 
The  governors  urged  Parliament  to  compel  the  colonists  to  raise  a 
fund  for  general  military  purposes  in  America.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  settlements  on  the  borders  of  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Pennsyl 
vania  were  assailed  by  the  Indians,  and  the  people  fled  for  safety  to 
the  older  towns.  The  peril  was  so  great  that  those  colonies  were 
compelled  to  take  prompt  action.  Virginia  made  Washington  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  all  her  forces,  while  the  other  two  joined  in  mea 
sures  of  defence. 

Few  people  in  referring  to  Benjamin  Franklin,  the  philosopher, 
and  afterwards  a  diplomatist,  know  that  at  one  time  he  was  an  officer 
in  military  service.  In  1756,  Pennsylvania  commissioned  him  colo 
nel  and  gave  him  orders  to  raise  troops  and  build  a  line  of  forts  or 
block-houses  along  the  frontier,  and  he  put  his  orders  in  execution. 

Shirley  was  now  succeeded  by  the  Earl  of  London  as  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  America,  and  governor  of  Virginia. 
The  latter  was  one  of  the  most  incompetent  of  the  many  incompe 
tent  men  England  at  this  time  entrusted  with  high  office.  He  was 
lazy,  cowardly,  and  stupid.  He  waited  until  near  the  end  of  April 
before  sending  over  his  subordinate,  Gen,  James  Abercrombie,  with 
troops,  and  the  summer  was  nearly  gone  before  the  earl  himself 
arrived.  The  plan  of  campaign,  as  arranged  for  1756,  required  ten 
thousand  men  to  capture  Crown  Point,  six  thousand  to  assail 
Niagara,  three  thousand  to  operate  against  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  two 
thousand  to  attack  certain  French  settlements  in  Canada.  Aber 
crombie  was  as  indolent  as  the  earl,  and  though,  when  he  arrived  at 
Albany,  a  large  portion  of  the  troops  intended  for  Crown  Point  and 
Niagara  were  at  the  town,  he  showed  little  desire  to  move  forward. 
He  caused  resentment  among  the  provincial  officers  by  compelling 
them  to  obey  the  orders  of  those  of  equal  rank  in  the  regulars. 
Anger  was  also  excited  among  the  citizens  by  forcing  them  to  provide 
quarters  for  the  troops.  Abercrombie,  disregarding  the  ardor  of  the 
provincials,  stayed  week  after  week  in  Albany,  erecting  elaborate 
fortifications,  for  which  no  necessity  existed,  and  unwilling  to  under 
take  any  aggressive  movement  before  the  arrival  of  London.  When 
the  brave  Colonel  John  Bradstreet  came  from  Oswego  with  the 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Lord 

London 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxv 


PERIOD  III 


AMERICA 


*783 


Mont- 
calm 


Fall  of 
Oswego 


startling  news  that  the  French  and  Indians  were  threatening  the 
forts  there,  and  that  an  attack  was  imminent,  Abercrombie  failed 
even  then  to  put  his  ten  thousand  men  in  motion. 

There  was  good  cause  for  fear,  for  the  activity  of  the  French  was 
in  strong  contrast  with  the  sloth  of  their  enemies.  The  Marquis 
de  Montcalm  (mont-ka'ni),  had  arrived  in  Quebec  as  governor-general 
and  commander-in-chief  of  the  French  forces.  He  possessed  remark 
able  ability,  and  though  of  slight  stature,  was  endowed  with  great 
energy,  and  seemed  scarcely  to  sleep  because  of  his  eager  patriotism. 
By  pressing  forward  night  and  day,  he  passed  through  the  long 
stretch  of  wilderness  to  Ticonderoga,  where  his  countrymen  had 
erected  Fort  Carillon.  He  recognized  its  military  value  at  a  glance, 
and,  making  all  haste  to  Quebec,  prepared  a  secret  expedition  against 
Oswego.  With  three  regiments,  he  ascended  the  St.  Lawrence  to 
Fort  Frontenac  (now  Kingston),  receiving  at  Montreal,  on  his  way 
to  Lake  Ontario,  a  large  reinforcement  of  Canadians  and  Indians. 
With  this  force,  he  crossed  the  lake  in  canoes  and  bateaux,  and  early 
in  August  halted  in  Sacket's  Harbor.  Fort  Ontario,  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  river,  was  weaker  than  Fort  Oswego  on  the  western  side, 
so  Montcalm  moved  against  the  former.  He  landed  and  marched  his 
troops  with  such  secrecy  and  despatch  that  they  were  not  discovered 
by  the  English  scouts  until  passing  through  the  woods.  Mercer, 
who  commanded  the  garrison,  had  one  thousand  men  and  made  in 
stant  preparations  against  attack.  Montcalm  had,  however,  come 
equipped  for  serious  work,  and  he  at  once  invested  the  fort  with  his 
large  force.  He  had  thirty  pieces  of  cannon  and  pressed  the  siege 
with  so  much  vigor  that  Mercer,  seeing  that  he  must  soon  succumb, 
surrendered  on  the  I4th  of  August  to  Montcalm,  who  secured  a  large 
number  of  cannon  and  a  quantity  of  military  supplies.  Both  forts 
were  destroyed  to  quiet  the  jealousy  of  the  Six  Nations.  This  step 
was  a  wise  one,  and  so  pleased  the  Iroquois  that  nearly  all  were  won 
over  to  the  support  of  the  French. 

Lord  Loudon  arrived  in  time  to  learn  of  the  fall  of  Oswego.  In 
stead  of  being  roused  to  action,  he  expressed  his  gratitude  that  no 
greater  disaster  had  befallen  the  country.  Then  he  devoted  what 
energy  he  had  to  compelling  the  citizens  of  New  York,  and  afterwards 
those  of  Philadelphia,  to  consent  to  the  quartering  of  the  troops. 
This  imposition  was  bitterly  resented,  but  backed  by  the  troops 
themselves,  the  earl  forced  the  people  to  submit,  and  was  more  elated 


CHAP.  XXV 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1756-1757  343 


over  the  victory  than   if  he  had   defeated   the   army  of  the  public    PERIOD  HI 
enemy.      It  is   not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Indians  despised  the  J£f.^£B 
sluggishness  of  the  English  and  were  attracted  by  the  dash  and  dar-     AM'ENRICA 
ing  of  the  French.     It  was  this  feeling  which  led  the  Delawares  in       Z758 
western  Pennsylvania  to  take  the  war-path.      Col.  Benjamin  Frank-       1783 
lin,  as  has  already  been  stated,  caused  the  construction  of  a  chain  of 
small  posts  along  the  Pennsylvania  frontier;    but  the  Indians  con 
tinued  their  outrages  until  a  thousand  people  had  been  either  killed 
or  captured.     The  philosophic  Franklin  thereupon  concluded  that 
nature  had  not  intended  him  for  a  military  career,  so  he  turned  his 
back  upon  it  forever,  for  which  sensible  course  he  is  perhaps  to  be 
commended.      Col.  John  Armstrong  was  his  successor,  and,  with  three 
hundred  volunteers,  he  crossed  the  Alleghanies  by  a  swift  and  secret 
march,  and  reached  Kittaning,  the  principal  Delaware  village,  within 
forty  miles  of  Fort  Du  Quesne.     It  was  a  warm  night  in  September, 
and  the  savages  had  no  thought  of  danger.     Imitating  the  tactics  of 
the  red  men,   Armstrong  attacked  the  hostiles   at   daybreak.     The      Indian 
town  was  destroyed  and  nearly  every  warrior  killed,  though  all  fought      Chas- 
with  desperation.     That  tribe   for   a  long  time  caused    no    further    at  Kit- 
trouble.      It  will  be  noted  that   the  campaign  of   1756  closed  with     tamnS 
little  accomplished  on  either  side.     What  gain  was  made  was  by  the 
French.     Towards  the  close  of  the  year,  fifteen  hundred  volunteers 
and    drafted    militia,    under    Colonel   Washington,    garrisoned   the 
stockades  for  the  defence  of  the  frontiers  of  Virginia  and  Pennsyl 
vania  ;  while,  farther  south,  measures  of  protection  were  taken  against 
the  savages  among  whom  French  .agents  were  busy. 

London  was  compelled  to  make  a  pretence  of  doing  something,  so 
he  called  a  council  in  Boston  in  January,  1757,  at  which  were  pres 
ent  the  governors  of  New  England  and  Nova  Scotia.  He  had 
thought  out  a  scheme  for  the  capture  of  the  strong  fortress  of 
Louisbourg,  which,  though  taken  once  before,  was  ceded  to  France 
by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht.  London's  conduct  and  bearing  at  the  con 
ference  were  not  those  of  a  soldier,  for  he  made  no  effort  to  conceal 
his  contempt  for  the  members  of  the  council,  listened  to  no  argument, 
and  obliged  all  to  agree  with  his  plans. 

The  most  important  work  before  the  English  was  to  expel  the 
French  from  the  frontier  posts  and  from  the  strongholds  of  Montreal 
and  Quebec ;  but  it  was  meantime  decided  to  confine  the  military 
operations  to  the  campaign  against  Louisbourg.  This  decision  was 


344 


HISTORY   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxv 


PERIOD  in  a  grievous  disappointment  to  the  colonists,  who  better  comprehended 
the  situation,  but  they  had  no  choice  except  to  submit,  and  they  gal 
lantly  responded  to  the  call  made  upon  them.  In  a  brief  time  Lou- 
don  had  an  army  under  his  command  with  which  he  ought  at  once  to 
have  driven  the  French  out  of  America.  Sailing  from  New  York, 
June  2Oth,  with  six  thousand  regulars,  he  landed  at  Halifax  on  the 
1st  of  July.  Before  departing  upon  this  formidable  expedition 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


THE    DELAWARES   ON   THE  WAR-PATH 


London  directed  Colonel  Bouquet  (boo-kay)  to  guard  the  Carolina 
borders  with  the  few  troops  at  his  disposal ;  General  Stanwix,  with 
two  thousand  men,  was  to  protect  the  western  frontiers ;  while 
General  Webb  was  furnished  with  six  thousand  troops  with  which 
to  defend  Forts  Edward  and  William  Henry. 

At  Halifax,  Loudon  was  joined  by  Admiral  Holborn,  with  a  fleet  of 
sixteen  men-of-war,  carrying  five  thousand  additional  British  regulars. 
This  large  army  being  landed,  the  officers  began  drilling  the  regi 
ments,  which  were  already  well  trained.  Besides  this  work,  which 


CHAP,  xxv 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1756-1757 


345 


continued  a  month,  a  large  area  of  ground  was  tilled  and  an  immense 
quantity  of  onions  and  other  vegetables  planted.  The  earl  thought 
that  one  of  those  days  the  scurvy  might  attack  his  marines  and  sol- 
diers,  and  he  intended  to  be  prepared  for  it.  The  soldiers  chafed 
under  inaction,  and  now  and  then  the  exasperated  officers  openly  ex- 
pressed  their  feelings,  but  this  did  little  good.  The  delay  gave  the 
French  a  chance  to  reinforce  the  garrison  at  Louisbourg  and  the 
beleaguering  fleet.  Loudon  bustled  about  and  was  making  ready  to 
fight  the  latter  when  he  learned  that  the  enemy  had  one  more  vessel 
than  he.  He  was  so  scared  by  the  fact  that  he  ordered  his  fleet  to 
cruise  around  Cape  Breton  and  embarked  his  army  for  New  York. 
There  he  began  fortifying  Long  Island  against  an  attack  which 
France  never  dreamed  of  making.  The  action  of  Montcalm  was  in 
strong  contrast  with  that  of  the  imbecile  Loudon.  With  six  thousand 
French  and  Canadians  and  two  thousand  Indians,  he  forced  his  way 
to  Ticonderoga,  by  way  of  the  Sorel  and  Lake  Champlain.  He 
dragged  his  artillery  and  boats  across  the  portage  to  Lake  George, 
where  the  troops  re-embarked,  and  on  the  3d  of  August  he  began  the 
siege  of  Fort  William  Henry.  Colonel  Monro,  with  a  garrison  of 
five  hundred  men,  gallantly  defended  the  post  for  six  days.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  his  ammunition  was  used  up,  many  of  his  guns  were 
disabled,  and  his  men  exhausted.  Montcalm  offered  honorable  terms, 
and  the  fort  was  surrendered  on  the  9th  of  August. 

Several  noticeable  facts  are  connected  with  this  surrender.  At 
Fort  Edward,  a  dozen  miles  distant,  was  General  Webb  with  four 
thousand  troops,  while  quite  near  the  fort  seventeen  hundred  men  lay 
entrenched,  and  yet  none  of  these  made  a  movement  to  help  the 
beleaguered  Monro.  In  fact,  General  Webb  was  so  frightened  that 
he  sent  a  letter  to  Monro,  exaggerating  the  numbers  of  the  French 
and  Indians,  and  advising  him  to  save  his  force  from  massacre  by 
surrendering.  This  letter  fell  into  Montcalm'  s  hands,  and,  we  may 
be  sure  that,  after  reading  it,  he  saw  that  it  reached  its  destina 
tion,  for  the  capitulation  immediately  followed.  By  the  terms  the 
garrison  were  to  march  out  with  the  honors  of  war,  taking  with  them 
their  baggage  and  side-arms  and  one  cannon.  The  last  favor  was  in 
the  nature  of  a  compliment  to  Monro  for  his  gallant  defence  of  the 
fort.  He  agreed  that  he  and  his  troops  should  not  bear  arms  against 
France  for  the  period  of  a  year  and  a  half,  and  that  he  would  deliver 
at  Ticonderoga  all  the  French  and  Indian  captives  in  the  hands  of 


PERIOD  in 


AMEEICA 


*783 


ity 


346  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxv 

PERIOD  in  the  English.     Montcalm  pledged  himself  to  furnish   the  prisoners 
ENGLAND     with  a  strong  escort  half-way  to  Fort  Edward.     His  only  fear  was 

AND  FRANCE  *  w  ' 

AMERICA     tnat  ^IS  Indians  would  cause  trouble.     He  kept  all  liquor  from  them, 
Z758       and  warned  the  English  to  do  the-  same.     Unfortunately  they  disre- 
J783       garded  the  advice  and  the  savages  spent  a  night  in  carousal.     The 
morning  found  them  in  an  ugly  mood  and  ready  for  any  mischief. 

Hardly  had  the  garrison  begun  its  march  for  Fort  Edward  when 
the  warriors  attacked  them.     They  were  first  murdered,  then  plun 
dered,  and  many  women  and  soldiers  were    carried   off   prisoners. 
Montcalm  was  filled  with  anguish  at  the  sight,  and  with  his  officers 
rushed  among  the  Indians  and  did  his  utmost  to  stay  the  massacre. 
M          "Kill  me!    kill    me!"    he  shouted,    "but  spare   these   prisoners!" 
sacre  of    After  thirty  had  been  tomahawked  and  others  dragged  away,  the 
ers""    slaughter  was  stayed.     A  sufficient  escort  accompanied  the  remainder 
to  Fort  Edward,  and  the  captives  who  were  taken  to  Canada  were 
afterwards  ransomed.     With  his  usual  energy  Montcalm  destroyed 
the  fort,  and,  laden  with  an  immense  amount  of  spoils,  moved  down 
the  lake  on  the  same  day.     The  structure  was  never  rebuilt. 

All  this  time  General  Webb  was  trembling  with  fear  among  his 
four  thousand  men  at  Fort  Edward  lest  Montcalm  should  come  that 
way  and  destroy  him.  He  made  ready  to  retreat  to  the  Highlands 
of  the  Hudson,  but  the  French  passed  him  by. 

It  is  hard  to  imagine  a  more  humiliating  campaign  than  that  of 
Loudon's  in  1757,  at  the  close  of  which  year  it  looked  as  if  nothing 
could  prevent  the  French  from  becoming  masters  of  the  American 
continent.  The  English  had  been  driven  out  of  the  Ohio  valley ; 
their  arm  was  paralyzed  in  northern  New  York,  and  the  iron  hand  of 
the  Gallic  conqueror  had  closed  round  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Great 
Lakes,  and  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  At  the  end  of  this  year 
the  territory  held  by  France  was  twenty-fold  greater  than  that  under 
the  dominion  of  England.  In  the  general  consternation  and  confu 
sion  Governor  Pownall,  of  Massachusetts,  ordered  the  people  living 
west  of  the  Connecticut  to  destroy  their  wagons  and  drive  in  their 
cattle.  This  was  done  by  many,  and  the  suffering  was  great.  The 
only  section  of  the  country  exempt  from  alarm  and  disorder  was  the 
extreme  South.  Governor  Ellis,  of  Georgia,  kept  up  friendly  relations 
with  the  powerful  Creek  confederacy,  and  the  colony  became  a  refuge 
for  the  endangered  people  of  the  North,  hundreds  of  whom  made 
their  way  thither.  Many  refugees  from  the  borders  of  Virginia, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxv 


AMERICA 


1783 


PERIOD  in  Maryland,  and  Pennsylvania  fled  to  South  Carolina  after  Braddock's 
ENGLAND    massacre,  but  the  hostile  Cherokees  caused  much  trouble. 

AND  FRANCE 

^ne  °^  tne  ^est  frien^s  that  America  ever  had  was  William  Pitt, 
wno,  in  the  latter  part  of  1756,  was  made  English  Secretary  of  State. 
The  aristocracy  were  opposed  to  him,  but  the  people  saw  in  his  tow 
ering  genius,  his  fervid  patriotism,  and  his  unflinching  courage  and 
integrity  the  hope  of  the  country,  at  the  time  torn  by  scandals, 
wrangles,  intrigue,  and  imbecility.  When  urged  to  recommend  a 


PANIC    OF  THE    SETTLERS 

stamp-tax  for  the  colonies,  Pitt  replied :  "  With  the  enemy  at  their 
back,  and  British  bayonets  at  their  breasts,  in  the  day  of  their  dis 
tress,  perhaps  the  Americans  may  submit  to  the  imposition."  No 
one  in  England  understood  our  people  so  well  as  William  Pitt.  He 
was  determined  to  do  the  Americans  justice,  and  neither  the  bland 
ishments  nor  the  threats  of  the  aristocracy  in  the  least  affected  him. 
Nor  would  he  resign  his  office,  for  he  knew  that  the  British  nation 
wished  him  to  hold  it.  In  the  spring  of  1757,  however,  he  and  the 
abler  members  of  the  Cabinet  were  dismissed  by  the  king,  who,  after 
the  country  had  suffered  nearly  three  months  without  a  ministry,  was 


CHAP.  XXV 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1756-1757 


349 


glad  to  recall  Pitt  *  to  the  Cabinet   in  June.     Soon  thereafter  he    PERIOD  in 
was  invested  with  powers  which  practically  made  him   Prime   Min 
ister  of  the  realm,  and  happily  so,  as  the  issue  soon  proved  in  North 
America. 


*  Much  of  the  success  of  British  arms  at  this  eventful  period,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
narrative,  was  due  to  William  Pitt,  who  became  Earl  of  Chatham,  and  one  of  England's 
greatest  statesmen.  Pitt,  who  entered  Parliament  in  1735,  was  one  of  the  chief  opponents 
of  Walpole  (for  over  twenty  years  Prime  Minister  of  England),  and  from  1756  to  1761, 
save  for  a  brief  interval,  was  the  ruling  spirit  of  the  government.  In  1756  Pitt  was 
made  Secretary  of  State,  and  during  the  Seven  Years'  War  his  vigorous  and  large-minded 
policy  did  much  to  restore  England's  military  fame  abroad  and  add  to  the  laurels  of  the 
nation.  His  nobility  of  character  and  lofty,  unsullied  patriotism,  together  with  his  great 
talents  as  an  orator  and  a  war  minister,  won  him  the  respect  and  affection  of  the  Eng 
lish  people.  His  steady  advocacy  of  the  rights  of  the  people,  his  passionate  and  almost 
resistless  eloquence,  and  his  marvellous  power  to  animate  and  inspire  a  desponding 
nation,  earned  for  him  the  title  of  "  The  Great  Commoner."  During  his  administration 
the  war  against  Erance  was  prosecuted  with  great  spirit,  and  her  navy  was  all  but  anni 
hilated.  His  attitude  towards  this  country,  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  bespeaks  at 
once  his  humanity  and  his  patriotism,  for  while  he  strongly  opposed  the  taxation  of  the 
American  Colonies,  he  was  equally  opposed  to  granting  them  their  independence. 
While  delivering  a  now  memorable  speech  in  the  House  of  Lords,  against  making  peace 
with  America,  he  was  seized  with  an  apoplectic  fit,  and  died  a  few  weeks  afterwards,  on 
the  nth  of  May,  1778.  For  a  characterization  of  Pitt  and  his  policy,  see  Brougham's 
"  Statesmen  of  the  Time  of  George  II I." 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


CHAPTER    XXVI 
CAMPAIGNS  OF  1758-1760 

[Authorities  :  The  steady  trend  of  events,  to  the  fateful  close  of  French  dominion  on 
this  continent,  which  has  its  counterpart  at  the  period  in  the  downfall  of  French  power 
in  India,  is  narrated  in  the  present  chapter.  The  issue  signalizes  Pitt's  prevision  in  the 
selection  of  military  commanders,  such  as  the  heroic  Wolfe,  and  his  genius  in  the  admin- 
stration  of  affairs  in  England  at  a  crucial  era  in  the  nation's  history,  The  gallant  Mont- 
calm,  though  ill -supported  by  Old  France,  and  worried  by  the  maladministration  of 
affairs  in  the  St.  Lawrence  colony,  was  able  for  a  time,  however,  to  protract  the  struggle 
in  America,  though  forced  now  to  act  purely  on  the  defensive.  The  nation's  Nemesis 
marched  sullenly  onward,  and  there  fell  successively  before  it  Louisbourg,  Frontenac, 
and  Niagara,  while  Du  Quesne,  Crown  Point,  and  Ticonderoga  had  reluctantly  to  be 
abandoned.  The  end  at  last  came  with  the  fall  of  Quebec,  the  capitulation  of  Montreal, 
and  the  cession  of  New  France  to  the  British  Crown.  The  authorities,  besides  the  stan 
dard  United  States  histories,  are  Parkman's  "  Montcalm  and  Wolfe,"  Warburton's 
'Conquest  of  Canada,"  Kingsford's  "Canada,"  Miles'  "History  of  Canada  during 
the  French  Regime  "  (Montreal,  1881),  Hannay's  "  Acadia,"  '  Life  of  Major-General 
James  Wolfe,"  by  Robert  Wright;  Knox's  "Historical  Journal  of  the  Campaigns  in  North 
America,  1757-60,"  and  the  admirable  monograph  by  J.  Bradley,  on  Wolfe,  in  the  Eng 
lish  Men  of  Action  Series]. 

|NE  of  the  first  wise  acts  of  William  Pitt  was  to  re 
call  the  incompetent  London.  General  Amherst  * 
was  made  his  successor,  and,  counting  on  the  pa 
triotism  of  the  colonies,  Pitt  asked  them  to  raise  all 
the  men  they  could  for  the  capture  of  Quebec  and 
Montreal.  He  promised  them  that  England  would 
provide  them  arms,  ammunition,  and  tents,  and  the 
king  would  recommend  Parliament  to  repay  them 
for  expenses  incurred  in  clothing  and  paying  the  soldiers.  The  Colo- 


*Sir  Jeffery  Amherst,    afterwards    Lord    Amherst   (1717-1797),   was    the    son   of   a 
country  gentleman  in  the  County  of  Kent,   England.      He  entered  the  army  at  an  early 


CHAP.   XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


351 


nial  troops  were  to  choose  their  own  officers  up  to  and  including 
colonels,  who  would  rank  with  English  officers  of  the  same  grade. 
England  furnished  the  leaders.  Lord  Howe  was  next  in  seniority 
to  Amherst ;  Abercrombie  was  given  an  important  command ;  James 
Wolfe,  who  had  seen  service  in  Flanders,  and  in  Scotland  during 
the  rising  of  the  Highland  clans  in  1745,  was  at  the  head  of  a 
brigade;  while  Richard  Montgomery  *  was  colonel  of  a  regiment. 

The  colonies  nobly  responded  to  the  call  of  Pitt.  A  powerful 
naval  armament  was  placed  under  Admiral  Boscawen,  and  twelve 
thousand  English  troops  were  assigned  to  service  in  America.  The 
number  of  provincial  troops  asked  for  by  Pitt  was  twenty  thousand. 
More  than  this  number  offered  their  services,  New  England  alone 
furnishing  fifteen  thousand,  while  Massachusetts  advanced  a  million 
dollars.  The  taxes,  in  many  cases,  amounted  to  two-thirds  of  an 
individual's  income,  but,  for  all  that,  they  were  cheerfully  paid. 
When  Abercrombie  assumed  command,  in  May  1758,  he  found  fifty 
thousand  men  at  his  disposal.  The  three  campaigns  planned  for 
1758  had  the  same  object  as  before:  the  capture  of  Louisbourg,  on 
Cape  Breton ;  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga,  on  Lake  Champlain ; 
and  Du  Quesne,  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.  Sir  Jeffery  Amherst, 
with  the  brilliant  James  Wolfe  as  his  assistant,  had  charge  of  the 
expedition  against  Louisbourg,  together  with  the  fleet  of  Boscawen. 
To  Gen.  Joseph  Forbes  was  assigned  the  task  of  conquering  Fort 
Du  Quesne  and  the  Ohio  valley,  while  Abercrombie,  with  Lord  Howe 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCS 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


The 
Plan  of 

Cam 
paign 


age,  and  in  1741  was  aide-de-camp  to  General  Ligonier,  under  whom  he  distinguished 
himself  at  Dettingen  and  Fontenoy,  and  afterwards  served  on  the  staff  of  the  Duke  of 
Cumberland.  In  1758,  he  attained  the  rank  of  major-general,  and  on  the  recall  of  Lord 
Loudon  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  army  in  America.  His  first  enterprise  on 
this  continent  was  the  expedition  against  Louisbourg,  Wolfe  serving  under  him  at  the 
siege,  while  Boscawen  commanded  the  naval  force.  Later  in  the  year  he  planned  and 
accomplished  the  capture  of  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  in  the  following  season  ordered  the  re 
duction  of  Niagara,  under  Colonel  Sir  Wm.  Johnson.  The  day  after  the  fall  of  Niagara, 
Ticonderoga  surrendered  to  his  forces,  and  on  the  I4th  of  August  (1759)  the  strong  post 
of  Crown  Point,  on  Lake  Champlain.  After  the  fall  of  Quebec,  Amherst  received,  on 
behalf  of  England,  the  capitulation  of  Montreal,  and  was  appointed  Governor-General  of 
Canada.  Later  on,  he  was  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  in  England,  and  became 
field-marshal.  He  died  in  1797,  at  his  seat,  "Montreal,"  in  Kent. 

*  It  has  been  taken  for  granted  that  Richard  Montgomery,  who  led  the  hapless  at 
tack  on  Quebec  in  1775,  took  part  with  Wolfe  in  the  conquest  of  Quebec.  This,  it  has 
now  been  ascertained,  was  not  the  case,  since  at  the  period  he  was  serving  with  the  I7th 
Regiment  under  General  Amherst  at  Lake  Champlain,  and  subsequently  under  Colonel 
Haviland  at  Montreal. 


352 


HISTORY    OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Siege 
and 

Surren- 
derof 
Louis- 

bourg, 
1758 


as  his  aide,  was  to  drive  the  French  from  Lake  Champlain,  and,  if 
possible,  expel  them  from  Montreal  and  the  St.  Lawrence. 

The  expedition  against  Louisbourg  sailed  from  Halifax,  May 
28th.  The  fleet  numbered  thirty-seven  vessels,  carrying  fourteen 
thousand  troops,  most  of  whom  were  regulars.  They  were  delayed 
by  a  strong  wind,  but  at  dawn  on  June  8th,  a  landing  was  made  at 
Gabarus  Bay,  the  inlet  on  which  the  French  stronghold  of  Louis 
bourg  stood.  The  surf  was  high  and  breaking  angrily  upon  the 
beach.  It  was  hardly  light  when  Wolfe,  at  the  head  of  the  first  divi 
sion,  was  rowed  among  the  breakers.  A  number  of  the  boats  were 
capsized  or  broken.  Impatient  at  the  delay,  Wolfe  leaped  into  the 
water  waist-deep,  waved  his  sword,  and  led  his  soldiers  against  the 
French  batteries,  passed  the  rampart  of  felled  trees,  took  the  de 
fences,  and  drove  in  the  enemy.  The  northeast  harbor  was  next  cap 
tured,  and  large  guns  were  planted  on  the  cape  near  the  lighthouse. 
The  island  battery  was  soon  silenced  and  the  siege  of  Louisbourg 
began.  The  garrison  comprised  twenty-five  hundred  regulars  and  six 
hundred  militia,  while  the  harbor  contained  several  ships-of-the-line 
and  frigates.  Vessels  were  sunk  at  the  entrance  to  keep  out  the 
enemy,  and  the  siege  was  pressed  with  a  skill  and  persistence  that 
left  no  hope  for  the  garrison.  Four  of  the  vessels  in  the  harbor  were 
burned  and  another  was  captured.  The  English  cannon  played  upon 
the  town,  the  fort,  and  the  ships. 

The  bombardment  laid  Louisbourg  in  ruins.  The  walls  were 
breached,  and  three-fourths  of  the  guns  were  disabled.  The  French 
commander  surrendered  July  26th,  giving  up  all  his  artillery,  military 
stores,  and  provisions,  with  the  islands  of  Cape  Breton  and  Prince 
Edward,  and  the  coast  almost  to  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
The  garrison,  including  the  marines,  numbering  about  six  thousand 
in  all,  were  sent  as  prisoners  of  war  to  England,  while  Louisbourg 
as  a  military  stronghold  ceased  to  exist.  Wolfe  was  the  hero  of  this 
great  victory,  which  marked  the  beginning  of  the  decline  of  French 
dominion  in  America. 

Pitt's  generous  course  toward  the  Americans  stirred  them  to  en 
thusiasm  and  incited  the  other  leaders  to  an  activity  which  none  had 
shown  before.  General  Abercrombie  and  young  Lord  Howe,  with 
an  army  of  sixteen  thousand,  marched  through  the  forests  of  the 
upper  Hudson,  and,  reaching  Lake  George  on  the  5th  of  July,  em 
barked  for  Ticonderoga  in  more  than  one  hundred  whale-boats,  nine 


CHAP,  xxvi 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


353 


hundred  bateaux,  and  with  the  artillery  on  rafts.  It  was  an  impres- 
sive  sight  when  this  immense  array  glided  over  the  placid  sheet  of 
water  with  streaming  banners  and  to  the  strains  of  martial  music. 
As  the  balmy  summer  day  was  drawing  to  a  close  they  landed  on  the 
grassy  slope  of  Sabbath-day  Point.  The  soldiers  strolled  through  the 
leafy  woods  in  the  cool  of  the  evening,  while  J^ord  Howe,  who  was 
the  soul  of  the  expedition,  consulted  with  Stark  and  other  provincial 
officers  about  the  surrounding  region  and  the  neighborhood  of  Ticon- 
deroga,  with  which  both  were  familiar. 

Young  Lord  Howe  was  a  man  with  as  much  military  genius  as 
Wolfe,  and  was  the  idol  of  the  army.  He  lived  a  life  of  the  severest 
simplicity,  eating  sparingly  of  the  plainest  fare,  and  discarding  all 
ornament  in  dress  as  he  required  the  other  officers  to  do.  He  had 
the  muskets  shortened  for  convenience  in  marching  through  the 
woods,  and  the  barrels  were  painted  a  dull  color  to  prevent  the  gleam 
attracting  the  eyes  of  the  Indians.  All  useless  baggage  was  thrown 
aside,  and  the  men  were  furnished  with  leggings  to  protect  them 
from  briers  and  insects.  It  was  almost  midnight  when  the  army  re- 
embarked  under  a  serene  sky,  studded  with  stars.  'The  oars  were 
muffled  and  the  immense  force  moved  along  the  lake  like  so  many 
phantoms.  The  watchful  scouts  of  the  enemy  on  the  surrounding 
hills  saw  nothing  of  them,  and  when  it  began  growing  light  in  the 
east,  the  troops  were  within  four  miles  of  their  landing-place.  The 
first  warning  the  sentinels  of  the  enemy  received  was  when  the  thou 
sands  of  scarlet  uniforms  swept  into  sight  around  a  point  of  the  lake 
and  the  army  made  ready  to  land. 

It  was  found  that  the  roughness  of  the  ground  and  the  numerous 
trees  rendered  the  artillery  useless,  so  the  guns  were  left  behind 
with  the  provisions  and  baggage.  The  army  advanced  in  four  col 
umns,  and,  led  by  incompetent  guides,  were  soon  in  the  depths  of  a 
tangled  forest.  The  advance  guard,  under  Lord  Howe,  suddenly 
collided  with  three  hundred  French  soldiers  who  had  lost  their  way, 
and  a  sharp  exchange  of  shots  took  place.  Almost  the  first  man 

killed  was  Lord  Howe.     His  death  threw  the  army  into  confusion, 

J 

and  Abercrombie  hurriedly  retreated  to  the  lake,  although  nearly 
every  member  of  the  French  detachment  was  killed,  while  the  English 
troops  were,  as  it  turned  out,  in  little  danger. 

Colonel  Bradstreet,  with  his  pioneers,  opened  the  way  to  the  Falls 
the  next  day,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  Abercrombie,  leaving 


PERIOD  in 


AM™ICA 


1783 


George 
Howe 


D^ath  of 
Howe 


354  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 

PERIOD  in  his  artillery  behind,  advanced  to  attack  the  outworks  of  the  enemy 

AI?DFRANCE  ^  Ticonderoga,  the  fort  being  garrisoned  by  four  thousand  men, 

A   IN         under  the  brave  Montcalm.     Abercrombie  was  deceived  as  to  the 

AMHRICA  . 

I758       strength  of  the  works  and  the  number  of  men  behind  them.     For 

1783       four  hours  he  tried  with  the  utmost  energy  to  get  within  the  abatis,. 

but  was  driven  back  each  time.     The  day  was  sultry,  and  while  the 

righting  was  going  on,  Montcalm  was  repeatedly  seen,  in  his  shirt 

Failure    sleeves,  running  back  and  forth  among  his  men  and  inspiring  them 

crom-"   by  his  own  heroic  example.     So  effective  was  the  defence  by  the  gal- 

bie's      iant  Frenchman,  that  as  the  warm  afternoon  drew  to  a  close  Aber- 

onTicon-  crombie  retreated,  leaving  two  thousand  of  his  dead  and  wounded  in 

der°Sa     the  forest. 

The  incompetent  Abercrombie  kept  out  of  harm's  way  during  the 
fighting,  and  he  now  continued  the  retreat  until  the  old  encampment 
was  reached  at  the  head  of  Lake  George.  Colonel  Bradstreet,  one 
of  the  bravest  of  officers,  begged  to  be  allowed  to  lead  three  thou 
sand  men  against  Fort  Frontenac,  which  stood  on  the  present  site 
of  Kingston,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario.  Permission  was  given, 
and,  after  a  siege  of  two  days,  the  place  was  captured,  with  forty- 
six  cannon,  nine  vessels  of  war,  and  a  quantity  of  military  stores. 
The  victory  was  depressing  to  the  French,  for  they  saw  that  they 
were  not  only  losing  ground,  but  a  famine  impended,  because  of  a 
of  Fort  failure  of  the  crops  in  Canada.  English  dominion  over  Lake  On- 


tario  was  thus  established  and  the  power  of  France  continued  to 
1758  wane.  In  this  brilliant  achievement,  Bradstreet  lost  only  three  men, 
but  a  malignant  fever  soon  afterwards  carried  off  nearly  five  hun 
dred.  With  the  others,  he  helped  to  build  Fort  Stanwix,  on  the  site 
of  the  village  of  Rome.  Abercrombie  seemed  to  feel  that  he  had  had 
enough  of  fighting,  and  after  garrisoning  Fort  George,  near  the  head 
of  the  lake,  he  withdrew  with  the  remainder  of  the  troops  to  Albany. 

Montcalm  stayed  on  at  Ticonderoga  and  there  applied  himself  to 
the  strengthening  of  the  fortifications.  The  detachments  which  he 
sent  out  to  harass  and  capture  parties  of  English  were  in  turn  as 
sailed  by  a  famous  body  of  rangers,  commanded  by  Major  Rogers,  of 
New  Hampshire.  These  men  roamed  through  the  woods,  sometimes 
(in  winter)  on  snow-shoes,  and  had  numerous  thrilling  encounters 
with  the  French  and  Indians. 

It  will  be  noticed  in  studying  the  French  and  Indian  War  that 
many  of  the  provincial  leaders  who  took  part  in  it  became  famous 


356  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 

PERIOD  in  afterwards  in  the  Revolution.     The  contest  between  France  and  Eng- 
J?DF!^CE  land>  as  fought  °n  our  soil  from  1755  to  1759,  was  a  few  years  later 
AMERICA     an  invaluable  training-school  to  the  patriots  in  the  great  struggle  for 
independence.     Israel  Putnam,  of  whom  we  shall  hear  more  later 
on,  was  the  second  in  command  of  Rogers'   Rangers.     He  was  one 
of  the  most  daring  of  men.     Some  days  after  the  attack  on  Ticon- 
deroga,  Captain  Molang  captured  an  escort  of  English  wagoners. 
Rogers  and  Putnam  set  out  to  intercept  him  on  his  return,  but  fell 
into  an  Indian  ambush,  and  Putnam  and  several  of  his  comrades  were 
made  prisoners.      All  except  Putnam  were  tomahawked.     His  in 
trepidity  was  well  known  to  his  captors,  who  reserved  him  for  a  more 
Putnam    cruel  fate-     While  the  fight  was  under  way  between  the  Rangers  and 
and  ^    Indians,  Putnam  was  tied  to  a  tree,  in  such  a  situation  that  his  cloth- 
Rangers    ing  was  repeatedly  pierced  by  bullets  from  both  sides.     As  if  that 
were  not  enough,  a  young  warrior  amused  himself  by  hurling  his 
tomahawk  at  the  tree,  in  the  attempt  to  see  how  near  he  could  come 
to  Putnam's  head  without  hitting  it.     Several  narrow  misses  took 
place,  but  the  captive  was  not  hurt.     Putnam  was  now  led  deeper 
into  the  forest  and  tied  to  another  tree.     Dry  limbs  were  piled  to  his 
waist  and  set  on  fire.     The  flames  had  begun  to  scorch  him  and  he 
was  almost  suffocated  by  the  smoke,  when   a  sudden  fall  of  rain 
quenched  the  fire.     It  soon  revived  and  burned  so  fiercely  that  he 
must  have  perished  in  a  few  minutes  had  not  Captain  Molang  learned 
what  was  going  on,  and,  rushing  to  the  spot,  released  the  victim  and 
saw  him  safely  to  Ticonderoga. 

Amherst  was  at  Cape  Breton  when  news  reached  him  of  the  disas 
ter  at  Ticonderoga.  He  immediately  sailed  for  Boston  with  four 
regiments  and  pushed  across  New  England  to  Albany,  arriving  at 
Abercrombie's  camp  in  October.  The  following  month  his  commis 
sion  as  commander-in-chief  reached  him,  and  Abercrombie  sailed  for 
England. 

We  must  not  forget  that,  as  has  been  related,  one  of  the  cam 
paigns  was  directed  against  Fort  Du  Quesne,  in  western  Pennsyl 
vania.  Gen.  John  Forbes  gathered  six  thousand  men  at  Fort 
Cumberland,  in  Maryland,  where  Washington  joined  him  with  two 
thousand  Virginians,  and  Colonel  Bouquet  had  marched  from 
the  Carolinas  with  a  thousand  Highlanders,  three  hundred  royal 
Americans,  and  a  force  of  Cherokee  Indians.  This  took  place  during 
the  month  of  July,  and  it  was  known  that  Du  Quesne  was  feebly 


CHAP,  xxvi  CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


357 


garrisoned.     Washington  urged  an  immediate  advance,  assured  that    FEKIOD  m 

the  post  must  fall, 

ed,   and  when  the 

route  than  the  one 

should    be    taken. 

Forbes  fell  ill  on 

and  was  carried  on 


but  his  counsels  were  not  heed- 
march  began  it  was  by  another     AMERICA 
he  advised 
General 
the    road 


ISRAEL    PUTNAM    AND    HIS    CAPTORS 


358  HISTORY    OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 

PERIOD  in  a  litter,  while  the  army  wound  its  way  so  slowly  over  the  mountains 

ANDFR!NCE  ^^  Raystown  was  not  reached  until    September.     The  indignant 

AMERICA     Washington  wrote  to  a  friend :    "  See  how  our  time  has  been  mis- 

I758       spent !     Behold  how  the  golden  opportunity  has  been  lost,  perhaps 

1783       never  more  to  be  regained." 

Bouquet  was  sent  forward,  with  two  thousand  men,  to  Loyal 
Hanna,  with  orders  to  erect  a  fort.  While  thus  engaged,  he 
directed  Major  Grant  to  make  a  reconnoissance  with  about  a  thou 
sand  men.  Grant  posted  himself  on  a  hill  near  the  fort,  and,  divid 
ing  his  force,  sought  to  draw  the  garrison  out  and  into  ambush,  but 
was  himself  ambuscaded  and  suffered  the  loss  of  nearly  half  of  his 
men.  The  French  were  so  elated  over  their  success  that  they  fol 
lowed  it  up  with  an  attack  on  Bouquet  at  Loyal  Hanna,  but  were 
repulsed  with  severe  casualties. 

The  days  and  weeks  passed  and  fifty  miles  still  separated  the 
English  army  from  Du  Quesne.     The  weather  was  cold  and  an  early 
winter  was  at  hand.     A  council  of  war  agreed  that  the  season  was 
too  far  advanced  for  further  operations,  but  the  impatient  Washing 
ton,  who  was  at  Loyal  Hanna,  was  allowed  to  advance  with  a  thou- 
Capture    sand  men.     The  troops  were  filled  with  ardor  and  the  main  army  fol- 
Du         lowed.     On   the  evening  of   November   24th,  the  Virginians  were 
Quesne    within  ten  miles  of  Du  Quesne,  and  eager  to  be  led  forward.     The 
garrison  numbered  only  five  hundred  and  at  once  saw  the  hopeless 
ness  of  their  situation.     That  night  they  set  fire  to  the  fort,  and  by 
the  glare  of  the  flames  floated  down  the  Ohio  in  their  boats.     The 
next  day  the  place  was  entered  and  Washington  with  his  own  hand 
planted  the  British  flag  over  the  charred  fortifications.     The  name 
of  the  fort  was  changed  to  Fort  Pitt,  in  honor  of  the  illustrious  Eng 
lish  commoner  and  statesman,  and  around  the  ruins  grew  up  in  time 
the  thriving  city  of  Pittsburg.     A  strong  garrison  was  left  in  charge 
of  the  place,  and  the  remainder  of  the  army  marched  eastward. 
Marriage       It  is  interesting  to  record  here  that  Washington  took  leave  of  the 
°  ington"  troops  at  Williamsburg,  with  the  intention  of  abandoning  military  life. 
He  had  been  elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses, 
and,  on  the  i/th  of  January,  1759,  was  married  to  Martha,  the  ac 
complished  widow  of  Daniel  Parke  Custis.     The  wedding  took  place 
at  the  "  White  House,"  the  residence  of  the  bride.     She  and  her 
husband  were  about  the  same  age — twenty-six  years.     Both  were  in 
good  circumstances,  and  in  time  Washington    became   one  of  the 


CHAP.  XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


359 


wealthiest  men  in  America.  He  took  his  seat  in  the  Assembly  at 
Williamsburg,  little  dreaming  of  the  illustrious  career  upon  which  he 
was  soon  to  enter. 

One  clay,  early  in  the  session,  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  in  obedi 
ence  to  its  order, , rose  and  thanked^the  young  colonel  in  the  name  of 
Virginia  for  his  great  services.  Washington,  overcome  with  confu 
sion,  attempted  to  reply,  but  stammered  like  a  schoolboy.  "  Sit 
down,  Colonel  Washington,"  said  the  smiling  speaker,  "your  mod 
esty  equals  your  valor,  and  that  surpasses  the  power  of  any  language 
at  my  command." 

The  campaign  of  1758  had  been  very  successful  for  England. 
Three  of  the  most  important  posts,  Louisbourg,  Frontenac,  and  Du 
Ouesne,  were  captured.  The  power  of  the  English  was  steadily 
waxing,  as  that  of  the  French  waned.  The  faith  of  the  Indians  in 
the  prowess  of  France  was  so  shaken,  that  at' the  great  council  held 
at  Easton,  in  the  autumn  of  1/58,  several  leading  tribes  decided  to 
join  the  Six  Nations  in  making  treaties  of  neutrality  with  the  Eng 
lish.  This  action  brought  peace  to  the  frontiers  of  Virginia  and 
Pennsylvania,  and  greatly  discouraged  Canada. 

Pitt  once  more  saw  the  golden  opportunity  for  his  country.  He 
hurried  reinforcements  to  America,  and  Parliament  voted  twelve  mil 
lion  pounds  to  carry  on  the  war.  In  the  early  summer  of  1759,  tne 
number  of  English  and  provincial  troops  in  the  colonies  was  nearly 
fifty  thousand.  This  formidable  array  equalled  two-thirds  of  the 
French  population  in  Canada,  and  was  six  times  the  number  of 
French  troops  in  America. 

Three  great  campaigns  were  now  arranged.  Wolfe  was  to  lead  an 
expedition  up  the  St.  Lawrence  against  Quebec,  while  Amherst  was 
to  advance  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  and  invade  Canada 
by  the  northern  route.  General  Prideaux  (Pree-do),  commanding 
chiefly  provincials  and  Indians,  was  to  capture  Niagara,  descend  the 
St.  Lawrence,  and  join  the  other  two  armies  at  Montreal,  which 
were  to  converge  on  that  point.  Amherst,  with  an  army  of  nearly 
twelve  thousand  men,  composed  about  equally  of  regulars  and  provin 
cials,  advanced  against  Ticonderoga,  and  disembarking  on  July  22d, 
near  the  landing-place  of  Abercrombie,  marched  towards  Fort  Caril 
lon.  The  French  were  afraid  to  make  a  stand,  and,  destroying  the 
fort,  retreated  clown  the  lake  to  Fort  Frederic,  on  Crown  Point. 
Amherst  followed,  and  upon  his  arrival,  August  1st,  found  that  post 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


The 
Cam 
paign  of 
1759 


360 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 


PERIOD  in  also  deserted,  the  French  having  fled  to  Isle  aux  Noix  (eel'-o-nwah!) 
on  ^e  nortnern  shore  of  Lake  Champlain.  Amherst  took  posses- 
s^on  °^  Crown  Point,  the  whole  country  around  Lake  Champlain  thus 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  English  without  a  battle.  Had  Amherst 
made  a  prompt  pursuit,  Montreal  must  have  fallen,  but  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  the  season  in  improving  the  defences  of,  Ticonderoga 
and  Crown  Point. 

Meanwhile  Prideaux  advanced  against  Niagara,  commanded  at  the 
period  by  Captain  Pouchot  (poosk'-ok).     He  left  Oswego  on  July  ist, 


MERIC 
I758 

1783 


EVACUATION    OF    FORT    DU    QUESNE 

with  two  New  York  battalions,  one  of  Royal  Americans,  two  British 

regiments,  with  artillery  and  a  force  of   Indians  under  Sir  William 

General    Johnson.     They  passed  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  and 

Prideaux  ianded  without  opposition  six  miles  east  of  Fort   Niagara,  on  the 

1 5th  of  July.     The  siege  was  begun  at  once.     It  had  hardly  opened 

when  Prideaux  was  killed  by  the  bursting  of  a  mortar,  and  Johnson 

succeeded  him  in  the  command.     The  garrison  numbered  about  six 

hundred,  but  three  thousand  reinforcements,  of  whom  one-half  were 

Indians,  were  on  their  way  from  different  points.     These  attacked 


CHAP.   XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


Johnson  on  the  24th  of  July.     The  French  and  Indians  suffered  a    PERIOD  in 
decisive  repulse  and  fled,  leaving  nearly  all  their  killed  and  wounded     ENGLAND 

J  AND  FRANCE 

in  the  woods.     The  French  commander,  when  he  saw  the  extent  of     AME*ICA 
the  disaster,  saw  too  that  he  was  powerless,  and  surrendered  the  fort       *758 

1783 


DEATH    OF    PRIDEAUX 


and  its  dependencies  to  the  English,  whose  dominion  was  thus  ex 
tended  along  Lake  Erie  to  Presque  Isle.  The  instructions  of  Sir 
William  Johnson,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  to  press  on  to  Mon 
treal  and  join  Amherst,  but  he  was  encumbered  with  prisoners,  and 
unable  to  procure  enough  boats  for  transportation.  So  he  garri- 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA. 

1758 

TO 

1783 


soned  Fort  Niagara,  and  with  the  remainder  of  his  troops  returned  to 
Albany. 

And  now  came  the  grand  and  decisive  campaign  of  all — that  of 
Wolfe  against  Quebec.  The  youthful  hero  passed  the  winter  in 
England,  where  he  came  into  close  contact  with  War  Minister  Pitt; 
but  early  in  the  following  spring  (1759)  was  back  again,  at  Louis- 
bourg  with  three  brigades  of  soldiers  and  a  large  fleet.  The  brilliant 
commander  was  forced  to  wait  until  the  St.  Lawrence  was  free  from 
ice,  so  that  it  was  not  until  June  that  he  left  Louisbourg,  with  eight 
thousand  troops  and  a  fleet  of  forty-four  vessels,  under  Admirals 
Saunders  and  Holmes.  His  brigadiers  were  Gen.  Robert  Monckton, 
afterwards  governor  of  New  York ;  Gen.  George  Townshend,  soon 
made  a  peer  of  the  realm ;  and  the  daring  General  Murray,  first  Eng 
lish  governor  of  Quebec.  Col.  Guy  Carleton  and  Lieut. -Col.  Wil 
liam  Howe,  both  of  whom  became  prominent  during  our  WTar  for  In 
dependence,  were  among  Wolfe's  subordinate  commanders. 

Towards  the  end  of  June  the  formidable  English  fleet  sailed  up  the 
St.  Lawrence  to  Quebec.  The  army  landed  upon  the  upper  end  of 
the  picturesque  Island  of  Orleans,  June  2/th,  and  encamped  partly 
there,  and  partly  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Montmorency  (Mon?- 
mo-ren'-st)  River.  The  troops  were  in  full  view  of  Cape  Diamond 
and  the  citadel  of  Quebec,  built  on  an  elevated  rocky  promontory  at 
the  junction  of  the  St.  Charles  and  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  upper 
town  was  surrounded  by  a  wall  with  five  gates,  two  of  which  opened 
out  upon  a  high  plateau,  to  the  southwest,  known  as  the  Plains  of  Ab 
raham,  which  was  separated  from  the  St.  Lawrence  by  abrupt  declivi 
ties.  The  lower  town,  close  to  the  river,  was  only  a  village,  but  the 
shores  of  the  St.  Lawrence  bristled  with  batteries,  both  above  and 
below  the  city.  Between  the  latter  and  the  Montmorency  River,  a 
distance  of  several  miles,  was  the  vigilant  Montcalm,  with  a  force  of 
French  Canadians  and  Indians.  The  opposing  armies  were  about 
equal  in  number,  being  each  some  nine  thousand  strong. 

The  night  after  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  was  intensely  dark,  and  a 
terrific  storm  set  in.  About  midnight  the  gloom  was  lit  up  by  the 
bright  glare  of  several  fire-ships,  which  the  French  had  set  floating 
down  the  river  towards  the  English  shipping.  But  that  which  threat 
ened  the  destruction  of  the  fleet  really  saved  it.  The  illumination 
enabled  the  British  seamen  to  catch  each  blazing  vessel  in  turn,  and 
so  change  its  course  that  no  harm  followed.  On  the  succeeding 


CHAP,  xxvi 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


363 


night,  General  Monckton  with  four  battalions  seized  Point  Levis,  on 
the  southern  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  planted  a  battery  oppo- 
site  the  city,  about  a  mile  across.  Thence  bombs  and  red-hot  cannon- 
balls  were  launched  into  the  lower  town,  which  was  soon  destroyed. 
But  the  destructive  missiles  could  not  reach  the  citadel,  and,  securely 
perched  in  their  lofty  fortress,  the  French  complacently  viewed  the 
attacks  of  their  enemies.  The  citadel  is  on  the  most  elevated  portion 
of  the  upper  town,  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  river,  and 
the  fortifications,  extending  almost  across  the  peninsula,  enclosed  a 
circuit  of  about  three  miles. 

The  Heights  of  Abraham  lay  west  of  the  fortifications,  and  rose  to 
more  than  three  hundred  feet  above  the  river.  The  French  were 
warranted  in  believing  it  impossible  for  any  force  to  storm  the  town 
from  that  side.  Accordingly  they  extended  their  line  of  entrench 
ments  along  the  northern  or  Beauport  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
reaching  for  five  miles  from  the  gorge  of  the  Montmorency  to  the 
St.  Charles  River,  close  by  the  city. 

The  resolute  Wolfe  believed  that  Montcalm  could  be  conquered 
not  by  capturing  the  stronghold  of  Quebec,  but  rather  by  attacking 
him  in  his  fortified  camp  to  the  east  of  the  citadel.  On  the  loth  of 
July,  he  landed  a  strong  force  below  the  Montmorency,  on  the  Beau- 
port  shore,  but  was  disappointed  to  discover  that  the  only  place  at 
which  an  attack  could  be  made  was  three  miles  west  of  the  mouth, 
and  the  point  was  strongly  fortified  by  the  French  commander, 
whose  vigilance  equalled  that  of  Wolfe.  A  council  of  war  decided 
to  make  an  advance  on  the  3istof  July,  at  low  water.  Generals 
Townshend  and  Murray  charged  across  with  their  two  brigades,  but 
Monckton,  who  was  to  advance  at  the  same  time  from  Point  Levis, 
caused  delay  by  running  his  boats  aground  on  the  shoals.  Before 
his  regiments  could  come  up,  the  others  attacked  the  entrenchments 
and  were  decisively  repulsed.  A  furious  rain-storm  added  to  the 
confusion,  the  tide  was  rapidly  rising,  and  after  suffering  a  loss  of  five 
hundred  men,  Wolfe  was  obliged  to  withdraw.  The  young  general 
earnestly  scanned  the  whole  vicinity  of  Quebec,  seeking  how  best  to 
bring  the  French  to  battle,  but  so  far  without  avail.  He  took  his  dis 
appointment  so  to  heart  that,  combined  with  the  extreme  heat,  fatigue 
and  anxiety,  he  fell  into  a  violent  fever.  For  several  weeks  his  life 
hung  by  a  thread,  but  he  finally  rallied,  and,  early  in  September,  a 
council  of  war  was  held  at  his  bedside.  The  decision  reached  was 


PERIOD  in 


AM™ICA 


1783 


Repulse 

English 

_at  the 
Beauport 

Flats 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 


PERIOD  in  to  land  a  strong  force  above  Quebec,  with  the  view  of  drawing  Mont- 
calm  from  his  entrenchments.     Meanwhile,  the  doomed  city  contin- 

J 

ue<^  to  bc-swept  by  the  cannon  from  the  ships  in  the  river  and  from 
the  batteries  on  Point  Levis.  Preparations  were  made  early  in  Sep- 
tember  to  test  the  feasibility  of  attacking  Quebec  from  above  the 
city.  With  several  companions,  in  an  open  boat,  Wolfe  reconnoitred 
the  shores,  and  selected  the  cove  still  bearing  his  name  for  the  land 
ing-place.  A  path  was  found  on  the  face  of  the  cliff,  amid  tangled 


AND  FRANCE 
IN 

AMERICA 

1758     . 

TO 

1783 


r^Maj. Gen. Murray's 
Camp 

R  L  E  A  N  S 


QUEBEC    DURING    THE    SIEGE 

shrubbery,  leading  up  to  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  and  it  was  resolved 
that  this  should  be  used  as  the  means  of  getting  the  army  into  posi 
tion  in  rear  of  the  citadel.  Making  a  feigned  movement  about  the 
Beauport  shore,  Wolfe  sent  a  portion  of  the  fleet  with  the  attacking 
force  up  the  river.  After  darkness  had  closed  over  the  scene,  on  the 
night  of  the  I2th,  the  main  army  was  embarked  on  flat-boats,  and 
drifted  up  stream  with  the  flood  tide,  beyond  the  landing-place. 
The  utmost  secrecy  was  enjoined  as  to  the  commander's  projects, 


CHAP.  XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


365 


which  were  not  disclosed  until  at  a  given  signal  from  Wolfe.  In  the 
boats  were  sixteen  hundred  men,  and  about  as  many  more  were  on 
board  the  sloops  and  frigates,  all  impatient  to  get  the  word  of  com 
mand. 

It  is  said  that  Wolfe,  who  was  still  weak  from  his  illness,  believed 
that  he  would  meet  his  death  in  the  impending  battle.  He  added  a 
codicil  to  his  will,  and  handed  the  portrait  of  a  young  lady  to  whom 
he  was  betrothed  to  a  friend,  with  the  request  that  he  would  give  it 
to  her  in  case  his  presentiments  were  fulfilled.  Then  his  spirits  ral 
lied,  and  he  entered  upon  his  great  task  with  strong  hopes  of  suc 
cess.  There  was  no  moon  that  night,  but  the  clear  sky  glittered 
with  stars.  While  the  silence  of  the  tomb  brooded  over  the  scene, 
two  star-like  points  of  light,  one  above  the  other,  suddenly  shone 
from  the  main-mast  of  the  temporary  flagship,  the  Siitherland,  which 
Wolfe  had  boarded.  All  were  waiting  for  the  signal,  which  about 
two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  I3th  was  given  by  Wolfe,  who 
with  his  chief  officers  had  now  transferred  themselves  to  the  flat- 
bottomed  boats,  bearing  their  heroic  but  silent  freight  of  men,  and 
drifted  down  stream  with  the  ebb  tide,  toward  the  landing-place. 

They  hugged  the  northwestern  shore,  so  as  not  to  miss  the  spot, 
and  no  one  dared  to  speak,  for  success  depended  upon  the  utmost 
secrecy.  The  oars  were  muffled,  but  Wolfe  repeated  in  a  low, 
thoughtful  tone  to  the  officers  around  him,  a  verse  from  Gray's 
"  Elegy  in  a  Country  Churchyard,"  a  copy  of  which  had  lately  been 
sent  to  him  from  England  : 

"  The  boast  of  heraldry,  the  pomp  of  power, 

And  all  that  beauty,  all  that  wealth  e'er  gave, 
Await  alike  the  inevitable  hour: 

The  path  of  glory  leads  but  to  the  grave." 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


The 

Morrow 
of  Battle 


"  I  would  prefer,"  said  Wolfe,  "  to  be  the  author  of  that  poem  than 
to  defeat  the  French  to-morrow."  "  No  one  was  there,"  says  the  his 
torian  Parkman,  "to  tell  him  that  the  hero  is  greater  than  the  poet." 
The  general  was  among  the  first  to  leap  ashore,  and  his  eye  kin 
dled,  as,  in  the  gloom,  he  glanced  upward  at  the  heights  towering  be 
fore  them.  All  set  to  work  to  scale  the  cliffs  through  a  tangled  path, 
where  two  could  barely  walk  abreast.  They  moved  with  the  utmost 
stealth,  catching  hold  of  bushes,  roots,  vines,  rocks,  and  anything  that 
could  aid  them.  It  was  comparatively  easy  work  for  the  Highland- 


Scaling: 

the 
Heights 

to 
Victory 


366  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 

PERIOD  in  ers,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the  English  caused  them  to  make  light  of 
AND  FRANCE  ^Q  obstacles  which  they  had  to  overcome  at  every  step.     The  ears 
AMERICA     °^  ^Q  French  sentinels  above  caught  the  suspicious  rustling  and 
I758       they  fired  down  in  the  darkness.     The  next  minute  the  shadowy  fig- 
1783       ures  swarmed  over  the  edge  of   the  elevated  plain,  and  the  guard 
fled  with  the  terrifying  news  that  the  enemy  had  scaled  the  Heights 
of  Abraham.     When  the  sun  rose,  it  reflected  the  gleam  of  five  thou 
sand  muskets    in  battle  array.     The  returning  boats  had  met  the 
squadron  under  Holmes,  which  followed  the  first  division,  and  then 
climbed  the  acclivity  after  them.     The  force  had  only  one  cannon, 
which  with  great  labor  they  dragged  up  the  cliffs  with  them.     A 
light  shower  of  rain  was  falling  when  the  English  took  up  a  position 
on  the  plain  in  rear  of  the  citadel. 

Meantime,  the  alarming  news  had  been  carried  to  Montcalm,  who 
was  some  distance  away  at  Beauport.  He  had  been  constantly  in 
the  saddle,  and  was  so  alert  that  for  a  week  he  did  not  remove  his 
clothing,  and  seemed  scarcely  to  sleep. 

"  They  have  found  our  weak  side  at  last,"  he  exclaimed  as  the 
news  reached  him,  "and  now  we  must  crush  them."  Montcalm  has 
tily  led  his  troops  over  the  St.  Charles,  by  the  bridge  of  boats 
across  the  river,  and,  hardly  pausing  to  place  them  in  battle  order, 
attacked  the  British. 

The  latter  showed  finer  discipline  and  delivered  their  volleys  with 
decisive  effect.  Wolfe  was  at  the  head  of  the  grenadiers,"-  whom  he 


*  The  brief  conflict  of  the  fateful  September  morning  brought  to  Wolfe,  as  it  brought 
to  Montcalm,  the  close  of  a  life  that  might  well  be  envied.  Each  hero,  in  a  special  sense, 
sacrificed  himself  for  the  country  he  best  loved.  To  Montcalm,  in  his  last  hour,  bitter 
must  have  been  the  thought  that  the  country  of  his  heart  was  at  the  time  not  worthy  of 
him.  England  could  afford  to  be  more  generous  and  appreciative.  Proud  of  her  gallant 
son,  she  rendered  to  his  remains  what  unavailing  honor  could  be  paid  to  them.  At  Que 
bec,  generous  hands  have  erected  a  touching  memorial  of  regret  and  reconciliation.  But 
in  the  quaint  historic  city,  still  half-military,  half-monastic,  little  is  needed  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  either  hero  ;  the  place  is  forever  eloquent  of  them.  The  age  Wolfe  fell 
upon  was  contemporary  with  the  thirty-three  years'  reign  of  George  II.,  the  monarch  he 
served.  It  was  a  troubled  time  for  England,  and  though  not  a  great  era  of  action  until 
Walpole  was  replaced  by  the  great  commoner  Pitt,  it  was  marked,  as  we  have  seen,  by 
•much  military  strife  and  hallowed  by  many  a  heroic  deed.  Wolfe  was  born  in  Kent, 
England,  in  1726,  and  was  the  son  of  Edward  Wolfe,  a  lieutenant-general  in  the  army. 
When  a  mere  stripling,  he  received  a  commission  and  took  part  in  the  campaigns  in  Flan 
ders,  into  which  England  was  carried  by  her  Hanoverian  connections;  and  he  was  also 
in  Scotland  with  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  during  the  grim  suppression  of  the  Stuart 
cause.  There  was  glory  to  England  in  neither  of  these  campaigns,  though  they  brought 


CHAP.  XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


367 


had  censured  for  their  defeat  in  the  attack  some  time  before  at  Mont- 
morency,  and  they  were  eager  to  win  his  praise  by  their  bravery. 
They  double-shotted  their  muskets  by  his  orders,  and  the  effect  was 
so  fearful  that  the  French  were  soon  thrown  into  confusion.  Quick 
to  seize  his  opportunity,  Wolfe  led  a  bayonet  charge,  which  has  been 
effective  times  without  number,  when  made  by  the  Scottish  High 
landers.  A  bullet  struck  the  young  hero's  wrist,  and,  a  moment 
later,  he  was  hit  in  the  side,  but  he  paid  no  attention  to  the  hurts, 
and  still  led  his  impetuous  men  forward.  Then  a  third  bullet  entered 
his  breast  and  made  a  mortal  wound.  Wolfe  sank  to  the  ground, 
and  was  hurriedly  carried  to  the  rear.  He  heard  some  one  order  a 
surgeon  to  be  sent  for,  but  interposed  in  a  weak  voice : 

"  It  is  useless ;  this  is  the  end." 

He  was  dying  at  the  time,  but  he  suddenly  brightened,  when  one 
of  the  group  around  him  exclaimed  : 

"  They  run  !  they  run  !" 

"Who  run?"   he  asked,  with  surprising  energy. 

"  The  French,"  was  the  reply ;   "  they  are  giving  way  everywhere." 

"  Now,  God  be  praised;  I  die  happy,"  he  murmured,  and  breathed 
his  last. 

It  was   about   the   same   time  that   Montcalm,   while   desperately 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 

1783 


Deaths 
of  Wolfe 

and 
Mont- 
calm, 
1759 


military  renown  and  rapid  professional  advancement  to  the  future  hero  of  Louisbourg 
and  Quebec.  The  military  ardor  manifested  by  Wolfe  at  an  early  age  is  remarkable,  for, 
when  only  fifteen,  he  carried  the  colors  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  Foot  on  the  march 
with  the  allied  army  from  Ghent  to  the  Rhine;  while,  a  year  later,  we  find  him  acting- 
adjutant,  and,  two  years  afterwards,  a  brigade-major  and  an  old  campaigner,  "familiar 
with  Highland  broadswords  and  French  bayonets,"  and  carrying  several  years  of  indi 
vidual  responsibility,  when  celebrating  with  his  parents,  in  an  interval  of  peace,  his 
twenty-first  birthday.  We  have  seen  what  this  youthful,  impetuous  spirit  accomplished 
at  Louisbourg,  and  the  momentous  results  of  his  conquest  of  Quebec  are  signally  mani 
fest  to-day.  To  capture  a  stronghold  that  had  been  deemed  impregnable,  might  well 
seem  to  Wolfe  a  hopeless  task,  for  behind  its  walls,  or  the  earthworks  that  lined  the  Beau- 
port  shore,  lay  most  of  the  strength  of  Canada.  "  The  white-coated  infantry  of  old 
France,"  writes  his  latest  biographer,  "  were  there;  the  regiments  of  Bearne,  Guienne, 
and  royal  Roussillon,  the  blue-clad  soldier  of  the  colonial  marine,  the  militia  from  the 
seignories  in  hunting-shirts  and  homespun,  and  the  trappers  (coureurs  de  bois) ,  well- 
nigh  as  wild  and  savage  as  the  Indian,  who,  in  paint  and  feathers,  filled  in  the  pictur 
esque  and  striking  scene.  Montcalm  was  there,  of  course,  in  person,  and  Vaudreuil,  the 
Governor-General,  and  the  skilful  soldier  Levis,  and  the  active  Repentigny,  and  the 
Scottish  soldier  of  fortune,  Chevalier  Johnstone,  who  had  already  fought  against  Wolfe 
at  Falkirk  and  Culloden."  Soon,  alas  !  the  whole  of  the  actors  in  this  striking  pageant 
were  to  pass  from  the  scene,  and  the  emblem  of  another  power  was  to  supplant  on  the 
surrendered  citadel  the  crown  and  lilies  of  France. 


368 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 


PERIOD  in  striving  to  rally  his  troops,  was  struck  down  by  a  second  wound. 
He  was  carried  into  the  city,  where  the  surgeon  told  him  he  had  but 
a  few  hours  to  live. 

"  So  much  the  better,"  he  replied,  "for  I  shall  not  live  to  see  the 
surrender  of  Quebec."      He  died  the  next  morning. 

It  thrills  one  to  picture  the  heroic  death  of  these  two  brilliant 
leaders,  the  one  "  in  the  robing  of    glory,  the  other  in  the  gloom  of 


ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1753 

TO 
1733 


GENERAL    JAMES    WOLFE 

defeat,"  and  there  is  much  that  is  touchingly  generous  in  the  inscrip 
tion  on  the  granite  shaft,  reared  many  years  afterwards,  in  the  city 
of  Quebec,  by  a  British  governor  of  Canada : 

"  To  THE  MEMORY  OF  WOLFE  AND  MONTCALM." 

Five  days  after  the   battle,  Quebec  surrendered,  and  an  English 
garrison  occupied  the  citadel.     A  month  later,  Great  Britain  burst 


CHAP,  xxvi  CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


369 


into  a  flame  of  bonfires  and  illuminations,  and  the  clanging  bells 
spoke  the  joy  of  the  nation  over  the  splendid  victory,  while  all 
mourned  the  death  of  the  hero,  who  perished  before  the  shouts  of 
triumph  could  reach  his  ears. 

The  conquest  of  Quebec  is  ranked  by  historians  as  one  of  the  great 
victories  of  the  world, — not  on  account   of 
the  conflict  itself,  though   the  achievement 
was  a  daring  one,  but  because  of  the  mo 
mentous   consequences  which  flowed   from 
it :  it  ended  one  empire  and  created  another 
in  the  New  World.     The  victory,  however, 
did  not  bring  an  immediate  end  to  hostili 
ties.        Chevalier 
De    Levis,*    the 
successor     of 
M  o  n  t  c  a  1  m    in 
command  of   the 
French  forces  at 
Montreal,      with 
drew  to  that  city, 
but  nothing   was 
done  until  the  fol 
lowing  s  pr  i  n  g, 
when  he  strove  to 
recover     Canada. 
He  had  a  force  of 
ten    thousand 
men,  with   which 
he  descended  the 
St.    Lawrence 
against     Murray, 
who  marched  out  of  Quebec  with  less  than  seven  thousand  to  meet 
him.     They  met  at   Ste.  Foye,  three  miles  .above  the  city,  and  in  a 
sanguinary  battle,  on  the  28th  April,  1760,  the  English  were  de 
feated  with  the  loss  of  a   thousand   soldiers  and  a  train  of  artillery. 

*  This  brilliant  French  officer,  who  had  been  Montcalm's  second-in-command,  had 
seen  long  and  arduous  service  in  Bohemian,  German,  Rhenish,  and  Italian  campaigns. 
Montcalm,  just  before  his  death,  expressed  his  satisfaction  in  entrusting  him  with  the 
command  of  the  French  army,  and  had  written  of  him  "  as  a  very  talented  man  with  a 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1753 

TO 

1783 


MONUMENT    TO    WOLFE     AND    MONTCALM 


Battle 
of  Ste. 
Foye 


370  HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvi 

PERIOD  in  Murray  then  fell  back  into  the  city,  where  he  was  closely  besieged 

^NGLAND^  by  the  French  army.     The  situation  of  the  garrison,  for  a  time, 

AMERICA     became  critical ;  but  early  in  May  a  British  squadron  came  up  the. St. 

J758       Lawrence  with  reinforcements  and  provisions.      De  Levis  thereupon 

1783       abandoned  the  siege,  and  made  haste  to  return  to  Montreal  (which 

was  now  the  last  stronghold  of  the  French  in  America),  where  all 

the  available  forces  were  collected  for  the  final  struggle. 

Amherst,  the  English  commander- in-chief,  who  had  spent  the 
winter  in  New  England,  now  recommenced  hostilities.  He  moved 
slowly  but  with  irresistible  certainty.  Waiting  until  fully  ready, 
he  set  three  armies  in  motion  against  Montreal,  and  advanced  them 
with  such  remarkable  precision,  that,  starting  from  widely  separated 
points,  their  arrival  before  the  town  was  almost  simultaneous.  With 
ten  thousand  troops,  Amherst  marched  to  Oswego,  where  Sir  William 
Johnson  joined  him  with  a  thousand  warriors  belonging  to  the  Six 
Nations  Confederacy.  He  crossed  Lake  Ontario,  descended  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  was  in  front  of  Montreal  on  the  6th  of  September. 
General  Murray  arrived  on  the  same  day  from  Quebec  with  twenty- 
five  hundred  soldiers,  and  on  the  next  day,  Colonel  Haviland  came 
down  the  Richelieu  with  three  thousand  more  who  had  journeyed 
from  Crown  Point,  expelling  the  French  from  Isle-aux-Noix  while 
lationUof  en  route.  When  De  Vaudreuil,  the  French  viceroy,  saw  the  seventeen 
^on"  thousand  troops  in  front  of  the  city,  he  knew  that  resistance  was 
1760'  useless  and  Montreal  capitulated.  This  was  the  final  act  of  the 
drama.  On  the  8th  of  September,  1760,  all  of  Canada  passed  from 
the  dominion  of  France  to  that  of  England,  and  the  lilies  of  France 
were  supplanted  by  the  cross  of  St.  George. 

On  the  high  seas,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  the  war  continued  till 
near  the  close  of  1762 — the  advantage  resting  almost  uniformly  with 
the  English.  At  last,  on  the  loth  of  February,  1763,  a  treaty  of 
peace  between  the  two  nations  was  signed  at  Paris,  and  hostilities 
terminated.  By  the  provisions  of  this  important  treaty,  France  gave 
up  to  England  all  her  possessions  in  America  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
from  its  source  to  the  river  Iberville,  and  through  Lakes  Maurepas 
and  Pontchartrain  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Spain,  which  had  also 
been  involved  in  war  with  England,  ceded  East  and  West  Florida  to 

lofty  military  spirit  and  great  decision  of  character,  indefatigible,  courageous,  and  con 
versant  with  military  routine."  He  afterwards  became  a  duke  and  field-marshal  of 
France,  dying  in  1787. 


CHAP.   XXVI 


CAMPAIGNS    OF    1758-1760 


371 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCS 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


that  country,  while  France  gave  to  Spain  Louisiana,  whose  enormous    PERIOD  in 
area,  it  will  be  remembered,  exceeded  that  of  the  whole  surrendered 
territory. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Treaty  of  Paris  took  away  all  of 
France's  possessions  in  the  New  World.  It  looked  as  if  that  country 
had  been  overwhelmingly  outgeneralled,  both  on  the  field  and  in  that 
of  diplomacy,  and  yet  her  statesmen  seemed  wiser  than  those  of  her 
rival  nations,  as  the  events  of  the  succeeding  dozen  years  appeared 
to  indicate.  Had  Louis  XV.  given  better  support  to  the  colony  in. 
its  hour  of  trial,  and  to  his  brave  and  faithful  general,  Montcalm,* 
another  issue  might  have  been  the  result.  But  this  was  not  to  be, 
all  being  ordered,  no  doubt,  for  the  best.  The  French  in  Canada, 
though  a  conquered  people,  have,  under  English  rule,  had  little  reason 
to  regret  the  change  of  masters.  As  Parkman,  the  historian,  ob 
serves  :  "  A  happier  calamity  never  befell  a  people  than  the  conquest 
of  Canada  by  the  British  arms." 


*  Louis  Joseph,  Marquis  de  Montcalm  [1712-1759],  was  descended  from  a  noble 
family,  and  at  an  early  age  entered  the  French  army  and  distinguished  himself  in  Italy, 
Bohemia,  and  Germany.  Besides  his  military  qualifications,  Montcalm  was  an  enthusi 
astic  lover  of  his  profession,  a  man  of  great  cultivation  and  of  fine  literary  tastes.  In 
his  forty-fourth  year  (1756),  he  came  to  Canada  to  replace  General  Dieskau  as  com- 
mander-in-chief  and  lieutenant-general  of  the  forces,  accompanied  by  the  Chevalier  de 
Levis  and  two  other  distinguished  French  officers — MM.  de  Bougainville  and  de 
Bourlamaque.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  Montcalm  captured  from  the  English  Fort 
Oswego,  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  a  year  later  took  Fort  William  Henry  and  repulsed 
Abercrombie's  attack  on  Ticonderoga.  His  defence  of  Quebec  was  spirited,  though 
owing  to  the  incapacity  of  de  Vaudreuil,  the  governor,  and  the  malfeasance  of  Bigot,  the 
last  of  the  royal  Intendants  of  Canada,  he  despaired  of  saving  the  colony  from  overthrow 
by  the  British.  His  integrity  of  purpose  and  ardent  patriotism,  no  less  than  his  bravery 
on  the  Heights  of  Abraham  when  the  final  issue  came,  shed  lustre  upon  his  career  and 
impart  pathos  to  his  death.  At  Quebec,  he  shares  with  his  conqueror,  Wolfe,  the  honor, 
of  a  fateful  day  in  the  annals  of  the  Continent.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the  Church 
of  the  Ursulines  within  the  walls  of  the  historic  city  he  died  to  defend.  The  monument 
to  the  joint  memory  of  the  two  heroes,  an  illustration  of  which  will  be  found  in  a  pre 
ceding  page,  stands  in  the  Governor's  Garden,  just  off  Dufferin  Terrace,  in  the  ancient 
Capital. 


7 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

PONTIAC'S     WAR 

{Authorities:  The  Peace  of  Paris,  which  occurred  three  years  after  the  capitulation  of 
Montreal  and  the  surrender  of  the  whole  French  army  in  Canada,  confirmed  the  cession 
of  the  country  to  Britain,  and  closed  the  dominion  of  France  in  the  vast  region  extend 
ing  east  of  the  Mississippi,  from  New  Orleans  to  Cape  Breton,  including  the  great 
valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  the  St.  Lawrence.  By  the  same  treaty  (1763),  France  also  ceded 
to  Britain  a  number  of  her  islands  in  the  West  Indies  ;  while  Spain  surrendered  her  claim 
to  Florida.  In  the  year  of  the  Peace,  and  while  the  "  Definitive  Treaty  "  was  being  con 
sidered  by  the  European  powers,  a  formidable  and  widespread  Indian  rising  in  western 
Canada  threatened  the  stability  of  the  English  conquest.  The  present  chapter  is  de 
voted  to  the  subject  of  this  rising,  known  as  Pontiac's  War,  which,  however,  was  stamped 
out  in  the  following  year  (1764),  and  the  disaffected  Indian  tribes  were  subdued.  For  a 
fuller  account  of  the  events  connected  with  this  thrilling  episode  in  the  early  history  of 
the  western  settlements,  see  Parkman's  "Conspiracy  of  Pontiac."  Kingsford's  "His 
tory  of  Canada"  may  also  be  consulted,  together  with  Cooley's  "Michigan,"  in  the 
"American  Commonwealths'"  series.] 

|T  will  be  remembered  that  previous  to  the  French 
and  Indian  War,  France  had  established  a  chain 
of  military  posts  in  the  West,  her  intention  being 
to  found  a  great  empire  in  the  Mississippi  valley ; 
but  the  dream  vanished  forever  with  the  conquest 
of  Canada,  and  it  became  the  duty  of  France  to 
turn  over  all  her  possessions  in  America  to  Eng 
land.* 
A  few  months  after  the  surrender  of  Quebec,  General  Amherst 

*  By  the  treaty  of  Paris  (1763),  France  ceded  to  England  all  her  domain  in  the  New 
World,  with  the  exception  of  New  Orleans  and  the  adjacent  parts  of  Louisiana,  which, 
by  a  secret  treaty  made  also  at  the  period,  she  ceded  to  Spain.  Louisiana,  as  we  shall  sub 
sequently  learn,  was  restored  to  France  in  1800,  and  was  acquired  by  the  United  States,  by 
purchase,  in  1803. 


Pontiac. 


CHAP.   XXVII 


PONTIAC'S    WAR 


373 


sent  Major  Robert  Rogers,  with  his  famous  rangers,  to  carry  the 
tidings  to  the  commander  of  the  French  post  at  Detroit  and  to  re 
ceive  the  submission  of  that  and  the  other  forts  on  the  border. 
Rogers  set  out  late  in  the  autumn  of  1760,  with  an  escort  of  two 
hundred  of  his  men.  The  journey  was  comparatively  pleasant  until 
they  reached  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Cleveland.  There  a  bitter 
storm  broke  upon  them  and  they  decided  to  go  into  camp  until  the 


MAJOR    ROGERS    AND    CHIEF    PONTIAC 


sun  shone  again.  While  resting,  Rogers  received  a  visit  from  a 
party  of  Ottawa  Indians,  accompanied  by  a  chief  of  striking  appear 
ance.  He  told  Rogers  that  he  was  the  owner  of  that  country,  and 
he  demanded  to  know  by  what  right  the  white  men  invaded  it. 
From  what  has  been  related  about  Rogers  in  another  place,  it  will  be 
understood  that  no  one  knew  Indian  nature  better  than  he.  Although 
among  the  mos%t  daring  of  men,  and  the  hero  of  many  hairbreadth 
escapes,  he  owed  much  of  his  success  to  his  tact.  He  recognized  the 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCB 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


374 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


PERIOD  in  chieftain  before  him  as  Pontiac,  one  of  the  most  gifted  of  his  race, 
and  he  set  about  winning  his  good-will.  He  told  his  visitor  that  in 
the  war  which  had  been  going  on  for  several  years  between  England 
and  France,  England  had  won.  Canada  was  no  longer  French,  but 
English,  and,  as  soon  as  Rogers  could  reach  Detroit  and  tell  the 
commandant  there  what  had  occurred,  that  post  would  yield. 
Rogers  added  the  hope  that  the  great  Pontiac  would  allow  him  and 
his  friends  to  pass  through  his  dominion,  and  that  the  white  and  red 
men  would  always  be  friends.  The  officer  managed  this  delicate 
business  with  so  much  skill  that  Pontiac  gave  his  consent,  and  said 
that  so  long  as  the  English  acted  rightly  they  could  stay  in  the  coun 
try  and  would  not  be  disturbed  by  him  or  his  warriors. 

Major  Rogers  reached  Detroit  without  further  incident,  and  the 
post  surrendered  November  29,  1760.  Hundreds  of  Indians  gath 
ered  around  and  watched  the  singular  scene.  Many  of  them  failed  to 
understand  why  so  large  a  force  should  submit  to  one  so  weak,  unless 
the  English  were  gifted  with  more  than  human  prowess.  But  the 
scowling  Pontiac  saw  through  it  all,  and  it  filled  his  soul  with  wrath. 
"  These  English,"  he  reflected,  "  have  conquered  the  French ;  now 
they  mean  to  turn  upon  the  red  men  and  make  slaves  of  them,  but  it 
shall  not  be." 

Naturally  the  French  felt  resentful  towards  their  conquerors,  and 

Designs  the  traders  helped  to  inflame  the  mind  of  Pontiac  by  telling  him  that 
their  king  had  been  asleep,  but  would  soon  awake  and  leave  not  an 
Englishman  in  the  country.  The  chieftain  brooded  over  the  matter 
for  days  and  nights,  and  then  formed  one  of  the  most  formidable 
conspiracies  ever  planned  by  his  race  against  the  white  men.  His 
scheme,  in  short,  was  to  unite  all  the  tribes,  and  make  an  attack  on 
the  same  day  upon  every  western  post.  France  had  proved  herself 
almost  the  equal  of  England,  and  now  withr  the  aid  of  a  dozen  or 
twenty  tribes,  she  surely  would  conquer  the  armies  of  that  country. 
The  Ottawa  sachem  displayed  wonderful  ability  in  carrying  forward 
liis  grand  scheme,  so  fascinating  to  him  and  to  his  people.  He  knew 
that  a  rash  move  on  his  part  would  destroy  all  hope  of  success,  and 
that  the  blow  could  not  be  struck  for  weeks  and  months,  perhaps  not 
for  years.  Hence  he  waited  and  plotted  for  two  whole  years,  before 
he  sent  his  messengers  to  the  different  tribes,  with  an  explanation 
of  his  plans  and  a  request  for  their  promise  to  join  him  in  driving  the 
English  from  the  .continent.  The  credentials  borne  by  these  ambas- 


Pontiac 
and  his 


CHAP,  xxvn  PONTIAC'S   WAR  375 

sadors  consisted  of  a  tomahawk,  painted  red,  and  a  wampum  war-belt.    PERIOD  in 
So  thoroughly  did  they  do  their  work  that  they  visited  every  tribe  Jf£j^°B 
between  the  Ottawa  and  the  Lower  Mississippi.     The  influence  of     AM™ICA 
Sir  William  Johnson  kept  all  the  Six  Nations  out  of  the  conspiracy,       X758 
except  the  Senecas,  who  sent  word  to  Pontiac  that  they  would  join       1783 
him  in  his  war  against  the  English. 

The  tribes  under  the  immediate  control  of  this  chieftain  were  the 
Ottawas,  Ojibwas,  and  Pottawatomies.  The  Wyandots  and1  a  number 
of  the  southern  tribes  also  pledged  themselves  to  him,  and  the  move 
ment  threatened  to  devastate  the  entire  western  frontier.  The  date 
fixed  for  this  uprising  was  May  7,  1763.  The  plan  was  simple, 
but  it  was  designed  to  be  thorough :  each  tribe  was  to  attack  the 
nearest  fort,  and  then  join  in  assailing  the  settlements. 

Now,  if  the  reader  will  reflect  that  this  conspiracy  was  more  than       Vast 
two  years  in  maturing,  that  it  extended  over  many  thousands  of  square    fj^on- 
miles  of  country,  and  that  of  necessity  hundreds  of  Indians  were  ap-     spiracy 
preached  who  were  not  friendly  to  the  scheme,  it  will  be  seen  that  with 
all  Pontiac's  cunning  it  was   impossible  to  keep  his  plans  absolutely 
secret :  the  wonder  is  that  they  were  not  fully  known  much  sooner. 
One  day  a  friendly  Indian  came  to  Ensign  Holmes,  commanding  at 
Fort  Miami  (on  the  present  site  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana),  and  gave 
him  the  war-belt,  which  Pontiac's  messenger  had  brought  to  the  tribe. 
Holmes,  by  guarded  inquiry,  learned  the  whole  plot.     He  sent  the 
war-belt  to  Major  Gladwyn,  commanding  at  Detroit,  with  a  letter 
asking  him  to  acquaint  General  Amherst  with  the  ominous  doings. 
Gladwyn  would  not  credit  the  story,  and  in  his  letter  to  Amherst 
assured  him  there  was  no  danger.     How  many  times  this  woful  mis 
take  has  been  made  by  those  similarly  placed ! 

Pontiac  held  a  council  of  war  (April  27th),  on  the  Ecorce  (d-korf- 
sa)  River,  near  Detroit,  at  which  there  was  a  formidable  gathering  of 
warriors.  He  made  them  an  impassioned  speech,  roused  their  ardor, 
and  made  clear  his  plans.  He  was  to  make  the  attack  on  Detroit, 
which  he  visited  a  few  days  later  with  a  number  of  his  people,  that 
he  might  study  all  its  features.  Then  he  again  called  his  faithful 
ones  around  him,  and  assured  himself  that  there  was  no  misunder 
standing  on  the  part  of  any  one.  Pontiac  arranged  to  visit  the  fort 
with  a  party  of  his  chiefs,  each  of  whom  was  to  carry  a  gun  hidden 
under  his  blanket.  They  would  make  a  formal  call  upon  Major 
Gladwyn,  and  Pontiac  was  to  deliver  a  brief  address,  at  the  close  of 


376  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 

PERIOD  in  which  he  would  present  the  commandant  with  a  wampum  belt,  but, 

ANDF^NCE  *n  clomS  so>  ^ould  hand  it  reversed.     This  was  to  be  the  signal.      In- 

AMERICA     stantly  each  chief  was  to  whip  out  his  gun  and  begin  the  massacre. 

I758       The  warriors  lounging  in  the  streets  or  about  the  gates  would  be  in 

T?83       a  state  of  expectancy,  and,  upon  hearing  the  guns  fired,  would  attack 

the  soldiers  and  settlers. 

Detroit  at  that  day  was  laid  out  in  the  form  of  a  square,  inclosed 
by  a  high  palisade.  At  each  corner  was  a  wooden  bastion  upon 
which  several  pieces  of  artillery  were  mounted,  and  there  were  block 
houses  over  the  gateway.  The  dwellings  were  about  a  hundred  in 
number,  with  narrow  streets  between,  and  with  a  broad  space  sepa 
rating  the  houses  and  the  palisades.  All  the  buildings,  including  the 
chapel,  were  of  wood.  The  garrison  numbered  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men,  and  forty  or  fifty  more  were  capable  of  bearing  arms  in 
an  emergency.  In  the  river  near  by  lay  two  armed  schooners. 

Pontiac  had  always  been  allowed  to  enter  the  town  unchallenged. 
On  the  fateful  morning  of  May  7th,  when  he  knew  that  the  fearful 
plot  which  had  been  brewing  for  more  than  two  years  must  come  to 
a  head,  he  appeared  at  the  gate,  with  sixty  of  his  warriors,  each  of 
whom  carried  a  loaded  rifle  under  his  blanket,  and  with  knife  and 
tomahawk  within  instant  reach.  The  guns  had  been  shortened  by 
the  Indians  and  all  their  weapons  were  concealed.  The  chief  led  the 
way  through  the  gate,  when  one  quick,  sweeping  glance  told  him 
that  he  had  been  betrayed.  The  whole  garrison  was  under  arms,  and 
every  officer  had  a  sword  and  two  pistols  in  his  belt.  The  sight  must 
have  filled  the  sachem's  bosom  with  fury,  but  he  mastered  his  emo 
tions  .by  a  supreme  effort,  and,  approaching  Gladwyn,  asked  in  an 
The  Con-  indifferent  voice  : 

Che»ck-r        "  Why  do  I  see  so  many  of  my  brothers  with  arms  in  their  hands  ?" 
mated          "  I  have  ordered  them  out  for  exercise,"  answered  Gladwyn. 

The  Indians  coolly  took  the  seats  assigned  them  and  Pontiac  made 
his  address.  A  more  trying  test  of  one's  nerves  could  hardly  be  con 
ceived.  Although  aware  that  his  plot  was  known,  he  was  on  the 
point  of  giving  the  signal  for  the  onslaught.  Indeed  he  essayed  to 
do  so,  but  Gladwyn,  who  was  closely  watching  him,  made  a  gesture. 
Instantly  the  rattle  of  arms  was  heard  outside,  and  Pontiac  passed 
the  wampum  belt  to  the  commandant  in  proper  form.  Major  Glad 
wyn  answered  the  address  of  the  chieftain  by  saying  that  he  would 
be  glad  to  continue  the  friendship  with  his  visitor  and  warriors,  but 


CHAP.  XXVII 


PONTIAC'S    WAR 


377 


he  would  do  so  only  on  condition  that  they  proved  themselves  worthy    PERIOD  in 
of  it.     The  infuriated  visitors  then  withdrew. 

Jamestown  had  its  Pocahontas,  and  Detroit  was  saved  through  the 
friendship  of  an  Indian  maiden.  She  learned  a  short  time  before 
that  many  of  the  savages  had  filed  off  the  ends  of  their  gun-barrels. 
The  blacksmith  who  had  been  asked  to  help  in  the  work  was  suspi 
cious  and  told  Gladwyn  of  it,  and  from  the  Indian  girl  the  comman 
dant  learned  the  whole  truth.  Pontiac  kept  up  the  semblance  of 


ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1753 

TO 

1783 


PONTIAC    OUTWITTED    AT    DETROIT 


friendship  a  brief  while  longer,  but,  when  told  that  he  could  pass 
through  the  gates  only  alone,  and  that  his  warriors  must  stay  out 
side,  he  threw  all  disguise  aside.  His  followers  emitted  their  war- 
whoops,  and,  dashing  off  to  the  houses  of  several  English  settlers  liv 
ing  outside  the  palisades,  killed  the  hapless  ones  and  held  aloft  their 
scalps  before  the  garrison. 

Pontiac  now  brought  the  Ottawa  village  to  the  Detroit  shore  of  the 
river,  placing  it  at  the  mouth  of  Parent's  Creek,  which  later  on  was 
known  as  Bloody  Run.  This  was  a  little  more  than  a  mile  northeast 
of  the  fort.  The  Ojibwas  had  joined  the  hostiles  and  the  memorable 


3/8  HISTORY   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 

PERIOD  in  siege  of  Detroit  began.     The  warriors  sheltered  themselves  behind 
J^GLAND^  outbuildings,  trees,  stumps,  and  earth,  and  kept  up  a  desultory  fire 
AMERICA    ^or  several  hours.     The  garrison  replied  as  chance  offered,  and,  with 
a  charge  of  red-hot  slugs  from  a  cannon,  set  a  group  of  outbuildings 
ablaze  and  picked  off  a  number  of  savages,  while  they  were  scurrying 
to  shelter.     During  this  exchange  of  shots,  several  of  .  the  garrison 
were  wounded,  but  none  killed. 

Major  Gladwyn  was  still  disposed  to  look  upon  the  situation  as 
less  grave  than  was  the  fact.  When  Pontiac  asked  to  have  a  talk 
with  Major  Campbell,  the  second  in  command,  that  officer  was  sent 
to  him.  The  Major  passed  through  the  gate  with  Lieutenant  Mc- 
Dougal  for  his  companion.  A  number  of  the  garrison  warned  Camp 
bell  that  Pontiac  intended  treachery,  but  the  officer  was  an  old  ac 
quaintance  of  the  chief,  and  did  not  believe  that  any  harm  would 
Siege  of  come  to  him.  After  the  two  had  entered  the  Indian  lines,  and  had 
Detroit,  tne  « talk,"  which  amounted  to  nothing,  they  were  informed  that  they 
were  prisoners  and  would  not  be  allowed  to  return.  They  were  kept 
for  several  weeks,  when  an  enraged  warrior  killed  the  major  in  re 
venge  for  the  death  of  a  relative.  Lieutenant  McDougal,  however, 
succeeded  in  making  his  escape  and  rejoined  the  garrison.  The  force 
of  the  besiegers  was  soon  increased  by  the  arrival  of  the  Wyandots. 
The  attacks  of  the  savages  were  so  galling  that  the  garrison  made 
several  sallies,  and  levelled  everything  that  could  serve  as  a  screen  for 
their  enemies. 

The  Indians  made  repeated  efforts  to  fire  the  buildings,  knowing 
that  if  a  conflagration  was  once  fairly  started,  it  would  sweep  every 
thing  before  it.  Burning  arrows  were  launched  from  the  surround 
ing  woods,  and  stuck  in  the  inflammable  roofs  of  the  building.  Little 
"bursts  of  flame  instantly  appeared,  but  the  defenders  were  watchful 
and  always  kept  a  supply  of  water  at  hand.  Every  attempt  of  the  be 
siegers  was  frustrated,  and  the  vigilance  of  the  garrison  was  relaxed 
neither  night  nor  day.  The  food  was  used  sparingly,  a  great  deal 
being  obtained  secretly  from  the  Canadians  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  who  brought  it  over  at  night.  Pontiac  considered  them  friends 
and  did  not  suspect  what  they  were  doing.  He  forbade  pilfering  from 
them,  but,  when  it  became  necessary,  made  regular  levies  upon  the 
people,  for  which  he  gave  in  payment  his  promissory  notes.  These 
were  written  on  the  inside  of  birch-bark,  and  signed  with  his  totem, 
which  was  the  figure  of  an  otter.  He  was  probably  the  first  Ameri- 


•COPYRIGHT  1896. 


FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY   JULES    TURCAS 


RED-HOT   SHOT 


38o  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvii 

PERIOD  in   can    Indian    to    issue   "paper    currency,"    and    to   his    credit    be   it 
ENGLAND    recorded    that    the   Ottawa  chieftain    redeemed    every   one   of   his 

AND  FRANCE  •    \ 

AMERICA  n°teS- 

J758  As  the  days  and  weeks  passed,  the  danger  of  Detroit  increased. 

1783  The  supply  of  provisions  ran  low  and  the  question  of  supply  became 
a  serious  one.  The  besiegers  steadily  grew  in  number  and  held  high 
hopes  of  success.  Reinforcements  and  supplies  were  due  by  way  of 
Lake  Erie,  but  they  were  so  tardy  that  Major  Gladwyn  sent  one  of 
his  schooners  to  hasten  them.  When  several  days  had  passed,  the 
sentinels  on  the  watch  called  out  that  the  supply  boats  were  in  sight. 
;  Scores  of  eyes  were  turned  towards  them,  and  the  crews  were  seen 
rowing  vigorously.  But,  suddenly,  a  strange  thing  was  observed ; 
in  one  of  the  boats  a  white  man  was  seen  fighting  desperately  with 
Relief  an  Indian.  Each  craft  contained  a  number  of  savages,  who  were 
cepted  tying  down,  hoping  to  enter  the  fort  unsuspected.  All  the  stores, 
guns,  ammunition,  and  most  of  the  reinforcements  intended  for  the 
fort  had  been  captured  by  the  besiegers.  The  schooner,  sent  some 
time  before,  saw  nothing  of  the  boats  and  kept  on  to  Niagara. 
Meanwhile,  the  smaller  craft  followed  the  coast  of  Lake  Erie  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Detroit  River.  There  they  landed,  and  the  men  were 
kindling  fires  for  an  encampment  when  they  were  attacked  by  a  body 
of  Wyandots.  Sixty  were  killed  or  taken  prisoners.  Two  boats 
managed  to  get  away,  one  of  which  contained  Lieutenant  Cuyler  and 
forty  men.  They  returned  to  Niagara,  while  the  Wyandots  forced 
their  captives  to  row  to  Detroit. 

A  second  expedition  was  fitted  out  at  Niagara  and  sailed  in  the 
schooner  sent  from  that  port.  Just  as  she  arrived,  the  wind  died  and 
she  was  compelled  to  drop  anchor.  All  knew  the  peril  of  the  situa 
tion  and  not  an  eye  was  closed  in  slumber.  About  midnight  a  num 
ber  of  canoes,  laden  to  the  gunwales  with  Indians,  shot  out  from 
the  gloom,  and  were  paddled  swiftly  towards  the  schooner.  They 
were  permitted  to  approach  until  within  a  rod  or  two,  when  a  volley 
of  musket-balls  and  a  broadside  of  grape  killed  and  wounded  more 
than  thirty  savages.  The  remainder  pulled  frantically  for  the  shore. 
Soon  after,  the  schooner  was  able  to  make  her  way  to  the  fort.  Pontiac 
chafed  at  seeing  the  two  vessels,  and  his  fertile  mind  formed  a  plan 
to  destroy  them.  He  constructed  a  number  of  large  rafts,  piled  them 
with  brushwood,  which  was  fired,  and  then  they  were  set  afloat.  But, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  attempt  of  the  French  fire-ships  upon  Wolfe's 


CHAP.   XXVII 


PONTIACS    WAR 


fleet  at  Quebec,  the  watchfulness  of  the  crews  saved  the  vessels.  The 
flaming  rafts  drifted  past  without  harming  either  of  the  schooners.  As 
the  weeks  passed,  the  Pottawatomies  and  Wyandots  grew  tired  of 
the  prolonged  siege  and  sent  overtures  of  peace  to  Major  Gladwyn. 
An  exchange  of  prisoners  took  place,  but  the  Ottawas  and  Ojibwas 
remained  as  hostile  as  ever. 

Thus  matters  stood  when,  earfy  on  July  2Qth,  twenty-two  barges, 
with  two  hundred  and  eighty  men  from  Niagara,  entered  the  Detroit 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 

1733 


River.  A  dense 
fog  hid  every 
thing  for  a 
time,  but,  when 
they  came  op 
posite  the  vil 
lage  of  the 
Wyandots  and 
Pottawatomies, 
the  barges  re 
ceived  a  fire 

which  killed  and  wounded  several  men.  This,  it  will  be  noted,  was 
a  characteristic  piece  of  Indian  treachery,  since  the  two  tribes,  only 
a  few  days  before,  had  made  a  pledge  of  peace  with  Major  Gladwyn. 
The  reinforcements  were  in  charge  of  Major  Dalzell,  who  was  cer 
tain  that  a  vigorous  movement  would  crush  the  savages  and  end  the 
siege  of  Detroit.  He  quickly  formed  his  plans  and  was  so  confident 


PONTIAC'S    PROMISSORY    NOTES 


382  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvir 

PERIOD  in  of  success  that  the  commandant,  against  his  own  judgment,  gave  his 
ENGLAND     consent  that  he  should  carry  them  out. 

AND  f  RANCH  •' 

AMERICA         Before  daylight,  on   the   3istof  July,  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
X758       left  the  fort,  and  stole  through  the  woods  towards  the  Indian  encamp- 
1783       ment.     They  followed    the    shore,   and    two    bateaux,   each   with  a 
swivel-gun  at  the  bow,  advanced  at  the  same  pace  with  the  soldiers. 
'The   movement  was  well-conceived,  but  unfortunately  some  of  the 
Canadians  had  told  Pontiac  of  it.      He  concealed  his  warriors  until 
the  whites  had  gone  by,  and  then  suddenly  attacked  them  just  as  the 
van  reached  the  bridge  over  Parent's  Creek.     Half  the  advance  guard 
Battle  of  were  slain.     Dalzell,  to  save  the  remainder,  ordered  an  instant  retreat. 
Ridge     The  hapless  soldiers  were  surrounded,  and  all  would  have  been  mas 
sacred  to  a  man  had  not  Major  Rogers,  with  a  number  of  brave  fel 
lows,  seized  a  house  crowded  with  fugitives,  and  held  it  against  an 
overwhelming  assault,  while  the  rest  of  the  troops  fought  their  way 
back  to  the  fort.     The  bateaux  then  added  their  fire  to  that  of  Rogers, 
and  he  and  his   little  band  withdrew.     The  English  lost  fifty-nine 
in  killed  and  wounded.      Major  Dalzell  was  struck  and  afterwards 
shot  dead  while  trying  to  save  a  fallen  sergeant.     This  sad  affair  is 
known  as  the  battle  of  Bloody  Ridge. 

Such  disasters  were  disheartening  to  the  besieged,  and  greatly 
elated  the  besiegers ;  but  there  was  never  an  hour  when  Major  Glad- 
wyn  or  the  garrison  entertained  a  thought  of  yielding.  They  were 
ready  to  fight  to  the  end  and  undergo  the  last  degree  of  suffering  in 
defence  of  their  lives  and  of  those  dependent  upon  them.  On  the 
night  of  August  4th,  one  of  the  sloops  was  close  to  the  fort  on  her 
return  from  Niagara  with  despatches.  The  crew  numbered  less 
than  twenty,  and  while  anchored  were  assailed  by  more  than  two- 
hundred  Indians,  who  were  not  seen  in  the  dense  gloom,  until 
they  were  on  every  side  and  swarming  over  the  bow,  stern,  and  gun 
wales.  The  crew  fought  fiercely,  but  were  overwhelmed.  In  his 
desperation  the  mate  shouted  to  one  of  the  sailors  to  fire  the  maga 
zine.  Most  of  the  Indians  understood  the  order,  and,  warning  the 
others,  leaped  as  far  out  in  the  water  as  possible,  diving  and  swimming 
with  frantic  haste  to  get  beyond  danger.  Although  the  captain  and 
several  of  the  crew  were  killed,  the  escape  of  the  remainder  was  one 
of  the  most  singular  episodes  in  the  siege  of  Detroit. 

The  schooner  brought  some  sorely  needed  provisions,  but  they 
were  not  enough  to  give  substantial  help. 


CHAP.   XXVII 


PONTIAC'S    WAR 


383 


The  peril  of  Detroit  caused  great  anxiety  at  Niagara,  from  which 
point  repeated  attempts  were  made  to  relieve  the  garrison.  The  In 
dians  were  on  the  watch  for  these  expeditions,  and  did  everything  to 
frustrate  them ;  but  it  was  not  always  they  alone  who  fought  against 
the  white  people.  In  one  instance,  a  terrific  storm  caused  the  loss 
of  seventy  lives  and  all  the  stores  and  ammunition  on  their  way  to 
the  beleaguered  post. 

While  the  American  Indian  under  certain  circumstances  displays 


THE    INDIAN    FIRE    RAFTS 


a  remarkable  degree  of  patience,  he  rarely  manifests  it  during  mili 
tary  operations.  Weeks  and  months  had  passed,  and  still  Detroit 
was  safe.  The  besiegers  could  see  no  hope  of  immediate,  nor  in 
deed  of  remote,  success.  They  were  tired  of  the  enterprise  and 
wished  to  end  it.  So,  on  the  1 2th  of  October,  all  the  tribes  except 
the  Ottawas  sent  messengers  to  Major  Gladwyn,  saying  that  they 
desired  peace.  That  officer  answered  that  he  had  not  the  power  to 
make  peace,  but  was  willing  that  there  should  be  a  truce.  This  was 
accepted  by  the  Indians,  and  the  commandant  made  good  use  of  the 
opportunity  to  collect  a  supply  of  food  for  the  winter. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1733 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES       CHAP,  xxvn 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
ANDFRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Pon- 
tiac's 

Schemes 
Foiled 


While  the  truce  was  in  force  a  few  signs  of  discontent  appeared 
among  Pontiac's  own  tribe,  the  Ottawas.  His  terrible  personality 
was  not  sufficient  to  hold  all  of  them  wrought  up  to  the  righting 
point,  though,  as  a  whole,  they  stood  by  him  until  the  fatal  blow  fell 
in  the  latter  part  of  October.  This  came  in  the  form  of  a  messenger 
from  M.  Neyon  (na-yon),  the  French  commandant  at  Fort  Chartres 
(sharer)  on  the  Mississippi,  who  told  Pontiac  that  peace  had  been 
made  between  France  and  England,  and  that  the  French  would  give 
him  no  help  in  fighting  against  the  English.  The  chief  was  cha 
grined,  but  he  saw  that  all  was  over.  The  dream  of  his  life  van 
ished.  He  had  no  choice  save  to  abandon  the  siege,  but  he  would 
not  fully  yield.  Leaving  the  neighborhood  with  his  leading  war 
riors,  he  visited  the  Maumee  country,  and  strove  to  rouse  the  tribes 
in  that  section  to  resistance,  but  his  success  was  trifling. 


ludiau 


CHAPTER  XXVII   (CONCLUDED) 
PONTIAC'S    WAR  (Concluded] 

\Authqrities  :  It  is  impossible  not  to  feel  a.  certain  admiration  for  the  Ottawa  chief 
tain  in  his  desperate  but  hopeless  stand  against  the  spoliation  of  his  race  by  the  white  men. 
Pontiac  fought  bravely,  but,  from  the  nature  of  the  circumstances,  his  struggle  was  as 
hopeless  as  that  of  King  Philip  a  century  before.  The  hour  was  at  hand  when  even  the 
Ottawa  leader  was  compelled  to  bow  before  the  resistless  smiting  of  the  hand  of  fate;  and 
there  is  something  grimly  suggestive  in  the  fact  that  Philip  and  Pontiac  were  each  killed 
by  one  of  his  own  race.  The  authorities  have  already  been  named.] 

nas  been  shown  that  although  Pontiac's  main  opera 
tions  were  directed  against  Detroit,  his  aim  was  to 
capture  all  the  forts  in  the  West.  In  more  than  one 
instance  his  allies  were  successful. 

The  garrison  at  Fort  Michilimackinac  (naw)  were 
watching  a  game  of  lacrosse,  played  by  the  Indians, 
June  4,  in  front  of  the  post,  when  by  a  previous 
understanding  the  ball  was  knocked  within  the  fort.  While  the 
officers  and  English  were  viewing  the  struggle,  they  were  assailed 
by  the  warriors  with  such  fierceness  that  no  resistance  could  be 
offered.  Seventeen  of  the  garrison  were  killed  and  the  remainder 
made  prisoners. 

At  daylight,  June  15,  Fort  Presque  Isle,  standing  near  the  present 
site  of  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  was  attacked  by  two  hundred  Indians,. 
Ensign  Christie  and  his  men  retreated  into  the  blockhouse,  whose 
roof  was  repeatedly  fired  by  the  assailants  and  extinguished  by  the 
defenders.  When  the  water  gave  out,  the  men  began  digging  a  well 
within  the  blockhouse.  The  weather  was  intensely  hot,  and  but  for 
frequent  reliefs  the  toilers  would  have  been  overcome. 


386  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 

PERIOD  in  gv  ^he  most  vigorous  work,  water  was  reached  in  time  to  extin- 
AND  FRANCE  guish  the  flames  on  the  roof.  The  Indians  showed  a  determined 
AMERICA  bravery  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  defenders.  They  threw  up  a 
breastwork,  on  a  ridge  near  the  fort,  and  pressed  the  fighting  for  more 
than  two  days.  They  repeatedly  tried  to  run  from  behind  this 
breastwork  to  a  point  nearer  the  block-house,  but,  in  every  instance, 
the  vigilant  garrison  shot  down  the  daring  warriors.  Then  the  be 
siegers  began  mining,  and  there  was  no  way  of  stopping  them.  The 
house  of  the  commanding  officer  was  reached  and  fired,  and  the 
smoke  and  heat  nearly  overcame  the  garrison  ;  but  they  kept  up  the 
unequal  contest  and  shot  every  redskin  who  exposed  himself  to  the 
unerring  marksmanship  of  the  defenders.  The  assailants  pushed 
their  mining  until  the  garrison  could  hear  the  click  of  their  imple 
ments  under  the  block-house  itself.  This  was  the  end  of  all  hope  of 
successful  defence,  but  Ensign  Christie  refused  to  surrender  until  his 
enemies  gave  a  solemn  pledge  that  he  and  his  worn-out  men  should 
be  allowed  to  retire  unharmed.  The  pledge,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
was  broken ;  the  garrison  were  bound  and  taken  prisoners  to  Pontiac's 
camp,  though  Christie  succeeded  in  making  his  escape  and  reached 
Detroit. 

A  Singu-  A  still  more  singular  history  attaches  to  Fort  Le  Bceuf,  which 
was  attacked  in  the  same  week  that  saw  the  fall  of  Presque  Isle.  A 
strong  force  of  Indians  surrounded  the  structure,  which  was  defended 
by  Ensign  Price  and  thirteen  men.  The  assault  was  pressed,  and 
during  the  darkness  the  savages  succeeded  in  setting  the  block-house 
on  fire.  It  was  impossible  to  extinguish  the  flames  from  within,  and 
the  Indians  danced  with  glee  in  the  belief  that  all  the  white  men 
were  undergoing  one  of  the  most  cruel  forms  of  death.  But  they 
were  mistaken.  The  garrison,  when  the  flames  were  crackling  over 
their  heads,  cut  a  hole  through  the  logs  at  the  rear  of  the  block 
house,  and  every  man  reached  the  shelter  of  the  woods  undiscovered. 
Some  succeeded  in  getting  to  Fort  Pitt,  but  most  of  them  perished 
of  hunger  on  the  way. 

Fort,  Venango,  lower  down  on  the  Alleghany,  was  captured  by 
treachery,  and  Lieutenant  Gordon  and  all  the  garrison  were  mas 
sacred.  Fort  Ligonier  was  also  attacked,  but  it  fortunately  held  out 
until  relief  came. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  Fort  Du  Quesne  had  been  rebuilt  and  its 
name  changed  to  Fort  Pitt.  It  was  a  post  of  importance  and  was  in 


388  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 


PERIOD  in  charge  of  Captain  Ecuyer  (a-quee'-a}>  who  had  a  force  of  more  than 
A^DFRANCK  tnree  hundred  soldiers,  tradesmen,   and  woodsmen  under  him.     He 
AMERICA     Darned  of  the  disasters  that  had  overtaken  some  of  the  other  posts, 
J758       and  knowing  that  his  trial  would  soon  come,  made  preparation  for 
1783       it.     Early  in  the  summer,  a  delegation  of  Delawares  asked  for  an 
port       interview  with  Ecuyer,  saying  that    they  had  important  news   for 
him.    They  assured  the  officer  that  a  mighty  confederation  of  tribes 
had  captured  all  the  frontier  posts,  and  that  the  only  way  he  and  his 
garrison  and  their  families  could  save  their  lives  was  by  hurrying  to 
the  English  settlements.     Evil  Indians  were  in  the  vicinity,  but  the 
Delawares  promised  to  protect  their  white  friends  from  harm.     The 
captain  thanked  them  for  their  kindness  in  bringing  him  such  impor 
tant  news,  and  then  gravely  informed  them  that  he  would  return  their 
favor  by  giving  them,  in  confidence,  some  startling  tidings  in  which 
they  were  interested.     Six  thousand  English  soldiers,  he  said,  were 
marching  through  the  wilderness  at  that  hour  and  were  due  at  Fort 
Pitt  within  a  few  days.     Another  army,  almost  as  large,  Ecuyer  added, 
was  hurrying  to  crush  the  Ottawas  and  Ojibwas;  and  a  third  had 
already  reached  the  Virginia  frontier,  where  they  would  be  joined 
by  the  Creeks  and  Catawbas,  who  would  never  give  up  the  task  upon 
which  they  had  entered,  so  long  as  a  Delaware  chief,  warrior,  squaw, 
or  pappoose  remained  above  ground. 

An  Indian  can  tell  a  tremendous  untruth  when  he  sets  about  it ;  but 
it  may  be  doubted  whether  any  Indian  ever  surpassed  this  achieve 
ment.  The  delegation  was  frightened  and  left,  but  they  must  have 
known  that  they  had  been  deceived  when  a  month  went  by  without 
any  signs  of  the  three  destroying  armies,  for  they  returned  to  Captain 
Ecuyer  and  repeated  their  falsehood.  He  told  them  they  were  utter 
ing  lies  and  snapped  his  fingers  at  them.  If  they  thought  they  could 
harm  Fort  Pitt,  they  might  begin  as  soon  as  they  chose.  The  angry 
Delawares  accepted  the  challenge  and  attacked  the  fort  that  night. 
Securing  such  screens  as  they  could,  they  kept  up  the  fire  until  day 
light,  but  did  little  damage. 

Colonel  Fort  Pitt,  however,  was  in  serious  peril,  for  like  the  other  posts,  it 
Bouquet  sto°d  alone,  and  was  threatened  by  a  force  of  Indians  not  only  much 
stronger  than  the  garrison,  but  which  daily  increased  in  numbers. 
Unless  reinforced  it  must  succumb.  Its  danger  became  widely 
known,  and  Colonel  Henry  Bouquet,  commanding  the  English  troops 
in  Philadelphia,  was  ordered  to  march  with  all  haste  to  its  relief. 


CHAP.  XXVI 


PONTIAC'S    WAR 


389 


Colonel   Bouquet  was  an  experienced   Swiss   officer  and  one  of  the    PERIOD  in 
most  brilliant  leaders  who  ever  undertook  so  difficult  a  task.     His 

force     numbered     five 
hundred  men,  chiefly 


Highlanders,    with 
whom  he  reached 
Carlisle  about  a 
week  after  the 
Delaware  del 
egation  made 
its  first  call 
on  Captain 


ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCS 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


A   REMARKABLE    ESCAPE 


Ecuyer.     Bouquet  found  the  town  overrun   with   fugitives,  for  the    Bouquet 
border  was  in  a  state  of  panic,  and  many  did  not  feel  safe,  even       iisie 
though  so  far  east  as  that  point.     The  suffering  of  these  people  was 
so  great  that  Bouquet  delayed  his  march  in  order  to  help  them.     He 


390 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Attack 
by  the 
Indians 


Peril  of 
Bouquet 


resumed  his  advance  about  the  middle  of  July,  sending  forward  thirty 
picked  men  to  Fort  Ligonier,  and  then,  following  with  the  main  body 
of  his  men,  scattered  the  Indians  besieging  that  post  and  Fort  Bed 
ford.  He  then  pressed  forward  over  the  same  ground  traversed  by 
Braddock  on  his  fatal  march  eight  years  before.  No  fear  of  Bouquet 
repeating  that  frightful  blunder.  His  vigilance  was  never  relaxed, 
and  it  was  certain  that  whatever  fate  overtook  him,  no  censure  could 
be  laid  at  his  door.  His  troops  had  full  confidence  in  him,  and,  just 
ly  so,  for  he  was  brave  and  skilful. 

Early  on  the  sultry  afternoon  of  August  5th,  Bouquet  approached 
a  small  stream  and  stopped  to  allow  his  tired  men  to  rest.  He  had 
hardly  halted  when  his  advance  guard  was  furiously  assailed.  He 
immediately  sent  forward  a  support,  and  inclosed  his  horses,  cattle, 
and  wagons  with  the  reserve  guard.  The  fighting  in  front,  however, 
quickly  became  so  fierce  that  he  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  re 
serve,  delivered  several  deadly  volleys,  and  by  a  brilliant  bayonet 
charge  dispersed  the  savages.  The  Indians  were  in  large  numbers, 
and  assaulted  both  flanks  of  the  troops  and  assailed  the  convoy  at  the 
rear.  Bouquet  coolly  withdrew,  and,  inspired  by  his  example,  his  men 
fought  with  desperate  valor.  Wherever  a  group  of  Indians  showed 
themselves,  the  soldiers  charged  them  with  the  bayonet,  often  chas 
ing  them  to1  cover  or  spitting  them  among  the  rocks  and.  trees.  The 
white  men  fought  as  did  their  enemies,  and  had  the  forces  been  more 
nearly  equal,  the  Indians  could  not  have  held  their  ground  for  an 
hour.  The  fighting  continued  of  the  most  furious  character  all  the 
afternoon,  ceasing  only  when  night  closed  over  the  scene.  Then  Bou 
quet  sat  down  on  a  rock,  and  by  the  light  of  a  lantern  pencilled  a 
despatch  to  General  Amherst.  He  gave  an  account  of  all  that  had 
taken  place,  and  said  that  he  and  his  men  would  fight  to  the  end,  but 
intimated  that  not  one  of  them  was  likely  to  see  the  set  of  the  mor 
row's  sun. 

The  little  force  was  surrounded  by  a  merciless  horde,  and  by  day 
light  there  would  be  hundreds  of  additional  Indians  on  the  ground. 
No  relief  could  reach  the  soldiers  for  several  days,  and  their  fate 
must  be  decided  within  a  few  hours.  Sixty  had  been  killed  and 
many  wounded.  They  could  not  obtain  a  drop  of  water,  and  the 
suffering  from  thirst,  especially  among  the  wounded,  drove  them 
almost  frantic.  At  dawn,  the  Indians  furiously  renewed  the  fighting. 
The  troops  were  completely  hemmed  in,  and  their  assailants  were  so 


CHAP.   XXVII 


PONTIACS    WAR 


391 


well  concealed  that  it  was  almost  impossible  for  the  soldiers  to  fire    PERIOD  in 
an  effective  shot.     They  frequently  charged  the  points  where  they     ENGLAND 
saw  the  flashes,  but  the  dusky  foes  skurried  to  other  cover  before 
they  could  be  pricked  by  the  bayonet. 

Two  companies  of  light  infantry,  by  Bouquet's  direction,  now  fell 
back  into  the  circle  which  was  the  main  point  of  defence.  The 
troops  on  the  right  and  left  parted  to  receive  them,  and  then  closed 


AMERICA 
1753 

TO 

1753 


Brilliant 
General- 


COLONEL   BOUQUET  WRITING   HIS  DESPATCH 

up  in  the  rear.  Then  two  other  companies  quickly  formed,  appar 
ently  to  aid  in  the  withdrawal.  Fearful  that  the  soldiers  after  all  ^hi*p  of 
would  elude  them,  the  Indians  rushed  tumultuously  out  of  the  woods  B°uquet 
and  streamed  after  them.  This  was  precisely  what  Bouquet  had 
sought  to  bring  about.  His  purpose  was  to  draw  his  assailants  into 
a  position  where  he  could  deliver  a  blow,  and  he  now  did  it  with 
terrible  effect.  He  continued  his  brilliant  fighting,  feinting,  and 
manceuvering  until,  before  the  savages  understood  their  peril,  they 
themselves  were  surrounded.  We  need  hardly  describe  what  fol 
lowed  ;  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  only  the  superior  agility  of  a  few 


392  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvn 

PERIOD  in  of  the  Indians  enabled  them  to  escape.      Colonel   Bouquet  reached 
ENGLAND     Fort  Pitt  on  the  I  c;th  of  August  and  relieved  the  post  of  all  danger. 

AND  FRANCK 

AMERICA         ^.  Neyon,  the   French  commandant  at  Fort  Chartres,  did  not  rest 

J758       with  a  message  to  Pontiac,  warning  him  that  he  must  cease  hostilities 

1783       against  the  English.     He  sent  wampum  belts  and  calumets  to  many 

other  tribes  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Lakes,  urging  them  to  peace, 

and  assuring  them  that  any  other  course  was  highly  displeasing  to 

their  great  father  in  France. 

Peace  Peace  came  at  last,  in  the  summer  of  1766,  when  the  representa 
tives  of  the  leading  tribes  met  Sir  William  Johnson  at  Oswego,  and 
signed  a  treaty  of  friendship.  There  were  many  noted  chiefs  at  that 
gathering,  but  the  one  who  towered  above  all  others  was  the  mighty 
Pontiac,  sachem  of  the  Ottawas.  He  was  the  greatest  of  his  race 
during  the  eighteenth  century,  as  Philip  was  during  the  seventeenth. 
Each  was  killed  by  one  of  his  own  people,  Pontiac  meeting  his  end 
in  1 769,  on  the  site  of  East  St.  Louis,  by  a  Kaskaskia  Indian,  who 
had  been  hired  to  do  the  deed  by  an  English  trader.* 

*  The  death  of  Pontiac,  following-  upon  the  conquest  of  Quebec  and  the  downfall 
of  French  power  in  America,  brought  about,  for  a  time,  a  cessation  of  Indian  feuds. 
By  the  conquest,  England  had  made  large  additions  to  her  territory  rather  than  added 
to  the  number  of  her  subjects.  The  population  of  the  whole  of  New  France,  on  the 
Fall  of  Quebec,  did  not  exceed  sixty-five  thousand,  while  that  of  the  English  colonists 
on  the  Atlantic  was  close  upon  two  millions.  This  inequality  is  accounted  for  by  the 
widely  differing  modes  of  French  and  English  colonization.  French  colonization  was 
feudal  and  semi-religious  ;  England's  was  characterized,  in  the  main,  by  the  escape  from 
these  Old  World  bonds,  and  from  many  things  that  impeded  the  exercise  of  civil  and 
religious  rights.  A  momentous  change  was  now,  however,  to  come  about  in  the  English 
colonies  on  the  seaboard,  in  their  efforts  to  shake  off  the  commercial  yoke  of  the  Mother 
Country  and  assert  the  freedom  of  their  own  institutions  and  the  legislative  control  of 
their  own  affairs. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 
THE    COLONIES,   AND   RESISTED    TAXATION  IN  1770 

[Authorities:  The  morrow  of  independence  was  fast  approaching.  Before  estrange 
ment  comes,  it  has  been  deemed  well  in  the  present  chapter  to  give  some  account  of  the 
conditions  and  characteristics  of  the  Thirteen  Colonies  and  the  action  of  their  congresses  in 
resisting  the  aggressions  of  the  Crown.  These  colonies  were  now  growing  into  common 
wealths,  to  be  soon  knit  into  a  nation,  and  we  shall  presently  see  through  what  troubles 
they  had  to  pass  ere  the  colonial  system  fell,  under  which  they  had  hitherto  existed,  mul 
tiplied  and  thriven.  The  authorities  are  numerous  for  this  era,  including  besides  the 
standard  histories,  English  and  American,  the  biographies  of  the  chief  actors  of  the  time, 
enumerated  at  the  head  of  the  next  chapter,  together  with  the  works  that  depict  the  social 
life  and  character  of  the  period,  such  as  Frothingham's  "  Rise  of  the  Republic,"  Fiske's 
"  American  Revolution,"  Weedon's  "  Social  and  Economic  History  of  New  England," 
Hutchinson's  "  Diary  and  Letters,"  Morse  Earle's  "  Colonial  Dames  and  Good  Wives," 
and  Maud  W.  Goodwin's  "  The  Colonial  Cavalier."] 


| HE  "original  thirteen  colonies"  were  Virginia,  New 
York,  Massachusetts,  Maryland,  Rhode  Island, 
Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware, 
New  Hampshire,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina, 
and  Georgia.  Of  these,  Virginia,  with  nearly  half 
a  million  inhabitants,  was  the  most  populous. 
Massachusetts  came  next  with  more  than  three 
hundred  thousand,  and  Pennsylvania  was  only  a  few 
Connecticut  had  nearly  two  hundred  thousand; 
Maryland  about  two  hundred  thousand,  while  New  York,  now  the  great 
Empire  State,  had  twenty  thousand  less.  Georgia  was  the  weakest  of 
all  the  colonies,  the  total  population,  including  negroes,  being  some 
twenty-five  thousand.  Benjamin  Franklin,  in  1766,  estimated  the 


thousand  behind 


The 

Original 
Thirteen 
Colonies 


394  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvin 

PERIOD  in  entire  white  population  in  this  country,  between  the  ages  of  sixteen 
ENGLAND    and  sixty  years,  to  be  three  hundred  thousand. 

AND  FRANCE  J    » 

AMERICA         ^he  c°l°nies  were  strong,  rugged,  and  growing.     At  one  period, 

1758       during  the  French  and  Indian  War,  they  had  twenty-five  thousand 

1783       militia  and  volunteers  under  arms.     When  Massachusetts  was  asked 

for  twenty-three  hundred  soldiers,  she  furnished  seven  thousand,  and 

kept  them  in  the  field  until  the  close  of  hostilities.     Nor  will  it  be 

forgotten  that  the  colonies  equipped  and  maintained  all  their  soldiers 

that  served  with  the  royal  army.     In  addition  to  the  large  number 

of   volunteers    furnished  by  Massachusetts,  she    manned  the  forts, 

Sof6theth  ecluipPed  a  twenty-gun  war-ship  and  an  armed  sloop,  and  gave  three 

Colo-  hundred  seamen  to  the  royal  navy.  She  was  the  most  powerful  of 
all  the  colonies.  At  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  War  our 
country  had  a  debt  of  ,£2,500,000,  of  which  England  repaid  a  little 
more  than  one-fourth. 

We  have  learned  that  many  sects  and  several  European  nations 
were  drawn  upon  in  the  original  settlement  of  the  colonies,  and  that 
they  stamped  their  peculiarities  upon  the  different  peoples.  To  Vir 
ginia  went  the  Churchmen,  to  New  England  Churchmen  and  Dis 
senters,  to  Maryland  Roman  Catholics,  and  to  Pennsylvania  the 
Friends  or  Quakers.  Although  in  some  cases  no  little  bigotry  was 
shown,  all  were  drawn  towards  one  another  by  an  intense  love  of  lib 
erty  and  an  aspiration  for  the  common  weal. 

Social         jne  diverse  origin  of  the  first  settlers  caused  many  interesting 

ences  differences  in  their  social  condition.  In  Virginia,  the  people  were 
noted  for  their  hospitality,  their  frankness  and  refinement,  but  they 
were  fond  of  sports  and  amusements  that  were  not  permitted  in  Puri 
tanical  Massachusetts.  Virginia,  previous  to  the  Revolution,  was 
the  real  South,  and  that  she  possessed  a  magnificent  stock  of  ability, 
brains,  and  genius  has  been  proven  many  a  time  by  the  achievements 
of  her  sons  in  war  and  statesmanship.  It  seems  strange,  in  these  later 
days,  that  the  people  of  New  England  could  ever  be  brought  to  sub 
mit  to  such  strict  censorship,  social  and  religious,  as  prevailed  for 
many  years.  Among  the  things  forbidden  by  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts  were  the  wearing  of  funeral  badges,  the  drinking  of 
healths,  either  in  public  or  private,  and  celebrating  the  Church  festi 
vals  of  Easter  and  Christmas.  In  Hartford,  the  freeman  who  refused 
to  vote  was  fined.  The  tendency  in  these  times  is  towards  the  other 
extreme.  All  persons  under  twenty  years  of  age  were  forbidden  to 


CHAP.  XXVIII 


THE    COLONIES 


395 


use  tobacco  without  the  certificate  of  a  physician.     Those  who  used    PERIOD  in 
it  were  permitted  to  do  so  only  once  a  day,  and  not  within  ten  miles 
of  a  house.     This  law,  which  sent  the  people  off  into  the  woods  to 


CATHOLICS 
OF  MARYLAND 


CB 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Use  of 

the 
"Weed" 


QUAKERS 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA 


indulge  in  the  "weed,"  was  cer 
tainly  discouraging  to  the  bad 
habit.* 


*  Fifteen  months  after  the  Pilgrims 
•sailed  from  Holland,  they  held  a  harvest- 
festival  lasting  a  week.  This  is  generally 
.alluded  to  as  the  first  thanksgiving  in 
New  England,  but  it  was  not  a  thanks 
giving  in  the  sense  of  a  day  set  apart  by 
the  church,  being  appointed  by  the  gover 
nor,  and  no  religious  service  is  referred 
to.  A  year  later  when  drought  prevailed, 
Si  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was  observed. 
The  sky  was  overcast  during  service,  and 
there  was  a  plentiful  rainfall  the  next  day. 
The  same  thing  occurred  some  years  later. 
After  the  rain  just  referred  to,  a  day  of 
thanksgiving  was  appointed,  July  30, 
1623,  and  on  the  following  day  a  relief 
•ship  arrived.  This  was  the  first  thanks 
giving,  unless  the  following  record  from 
an  old  Bible  supplants  it:  "  Sonne  born 
to  Susanna  Whie  (White)  December  igth, 
1620  yt  six  o'clock  morning.  Next  day 
we  meet  for  prayer  and  thanksgiving." 

A  few  years  later  both  fast  days  and  thanksgiving  days  came  at  irregular  intervals. 
There  were  fasts  for  Anne  Hutchinson's  heresies  and  feasts  for  getting  rid  of  her  ;  fasts 
•and  feasts  on  the  occasion  of  plagues,  pests,  and  prodigies;  fasts  and  feasts  for  King 


HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvur 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


men' 


The 
Friends 


One  of  the  cherished  privileges  of  an  American  citizen,  who  caa 
afford  to  do  so,  is  to  lie  abed  as  long  as  he  wishes,  yet,  as  has  been 
stated,  there  was  a  time  in  Hartford  when  every  well  person  was 
compelled  to  get  up  and  to  retire  at  nightfall  at  the  ringing  of  the 
watchman's  bell.  In  short,  New  England  strove  to  make  all  people 
good  and  to  fashion  their  lives  by  the  enactment  of  rigid  laws. 

Over  the  border  in  New  York,  the  contrast  was  striking.  There, 
and  in  portions  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  the  Dutch  stamped 
their  characteristics  so  strongly  upon  the  people  that  they  are  per 
ceptible  to  this  day.  It  is  not  an  unfrequent  thing  to-day  to  meet 
"  Pennsylvania  Dutchmen"  who,  like  their  parents,  were  born  in  that 
State  and  yet  cannot  speak  a  word  of  English.  They  were  indus 
trious,  frugal,  clean,  and  lovers  of  good  order  and  personal  comfort. 
The  Dutchman  was  fond  of  his  pipe  and  beer,  frowned  upon  all  man 
ner  of  disturbance,  worshipped  the  God  of  his  fathers,  and  taught  his 
children  to  do  the  same.  The  Swedes  and  Finns  on  the  Delaware 
resembled  the  Dutch  in  many  respects. 

The  Friends  showed  a  marked  contrast  to  the  Puritans,  the 
Churchmen,  and  the  Dutchmen.  They  left  their  imprint  deep  and 
distinct  in  Pennsylvania  and  West  Jersey.  William  Penn  was  one 
of  the  greatest  philanthropists  that  ever  set  foot  on  American  soil, 
and,  so  long  as  Pennsylvania  was  under  his  direct  rule,  it  was  a  model 
commonwealth.  No  other  province  equalled  it  in  growth  and  pros 
perity  or  in  freedom  from  disturbance.  Every  one  is  familiar  with 
the  characteristics  of  the  Friends,  or  Quakers.  Although  they  do  not 


Philip's  War,  which  was  called,  *'  Jacob's  Trouble  in  the  Wilderness  ;  "  and  fasts  and 
feasts  for  the  witches. 

Christmas  and  New  Year  were  the  great  festivals  among  the  Dutch  in  New  Netherland. 
The  celebrations  lasted  for  three  weeks,  during  which  the  courts  did  not  sit  and  the  public 
offices  were  closed.  All  entered  into  the  favorite  sports — bowling,  dancing,  ball  playing — 
and  the  tap-houses  were  crowded  with  the  jolly  burghers.  At  the  beginning,  May  Day 
was  kept  with  great  spirit;  beside  which  they  observed  the  Passover  season  and  Whitsun 
tide.  The  first  public  fast-day  of  the  Dutch  was  March  4th,  1643,  N.  S.,  during  Governor 
Kieft's  stormy  administration.  Having  crushed  the  Indians  by  massacre,  August  3Oth, 
1645,  N.  S.,  was  appointed  the  first  thanksgiving  for  the  deliverance  of  the  heathen  into 
their  hands.  A  fast  day  among  the  Dutch  meant  a  fast  in  the  early  part  and  a  feast 
towards  evening.  It  so  happened  that  on  the  same  day  the  Connecticut  Puritans  and  the 
New  Netherland  Dutchman  were  holding  a  fast  and  praying  against  each  other  in  antici 
pation  of  a  conflict.  Tidings  of  peace  coming  across  the  ocean,  each  party  proclaimed  a 
thanksgiving.  The  order  at  New  Haven  was  striking  :  "Praise,  English  Jerusalem;" 
"  Thank  the  Lord  of  Zion  ' '  at  Netherland. 


CHAP,  xxvin 


THE    COLONIES 


397 


AM'ENKICA 


tion 


remove  their  hats  in  salutation,  one  feels   like  uncovering  to  those    PERIOD  in 
plain,  unostentatious,  honest,  and  God-fearing  people. 

Down  to  the  Revolution,  agriculture  was  the  main  pursuit  of  the 
colonists,  and  little  was  seen  in  a  household  which  was  not  the 
product  of  the  soil.  The  spinning-wheel  was  in  every  home,  and  the 
deft  fingers  of  the  wife  and  elder  daughters  plied  the  knitting 
needles  during  the  long  winter  evenings  by  the  fireside.  The  furni 
ture  was  of  the  simplest  character  ;  stoves  were  unknown  ;  candles 
or  the  roaring  fire  gave  illumination,  though  lamps  were  employed  on 
occasion;  gas,  sewing-machines,  the  use  of  steam,  and  hundreds  of 
modern  conveniences,  had  not  been  dreamed  of.  Travelling  was  done 
on  horseback  or  in  lumbering  vehicles,  visits  from  point  to  point 
along  the  coast  being  made  by  sloop  or  other  vessel. 

Early  attention  was  given  to  the  education  of  the  young.  Schools 
were  established  in  Virginia  as  early  as  1621,  but  the  institutions 
languished,  and  the  money  provided  for  their  support  was  turned  over 
to  the  trustees  of  William  and  Mary  College,  founded  at  Williams- 
burg,  Virginia,  in  1692.  Common  schools  flourished  in  New  Eng 
land  from  the  first,  but  compared  with  those  of  to-day  they  were  in 
differently  equipped.  The  benches  and  desks  were  as  uncomfortable 
as  they  could  be,  and  the  teacher  did  not  spoil  the  child  by  sparing 
the  rod.  In  some  places,  the  teacher,  besides  instructing  the  youth, 
had  to  ring  the  bell  for  public  worship,  lead  the  choir  on  Sundays, 
serve  summonses,  dig  graves,  and  perform  other  occasional  duties. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  founding  of  Harvard  and  Yale  col 
leges,  the  former  being  the  oldest  in  the  country.  In  addition  to  these 
institutions  others  were  Princeton  College,  which  was  established  in 
New  Jersey  in  1746;  King's  (now  Columbia),  in  New  York  in  1754; 
Brown  in  Rhode  Island,  in  1764,  while  the  first  medical  college  was 
founded  in  Philadelphia  in  the  latter  year. 

In  another  place  something  has  been  said  concerning  the  first 
newspapers  in  the  colonies.  At  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian 
War  there  were  only  ten  journals  published  in  the  country,  although 
more  than  twenty  had  been  started  at  various  times.  The  first  perma 
nent  journal  was  The  Boston  News  Letter,  which  made  its  appear 
ance  in  the  spring  of  1  704.  The  other  pioneer  papers  which  were  suc 
cessful  were,  in  Pennsylvania,  The  American  (Philadelphia"),  1719; 
in  New  York,  The  New  York  Gazette,  1725;  in  Maryland,  The 
Maryland  Gazette  (Annapolis),  1728;  in  South  Carolina,  The 


News- 


398 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvm 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


Colonial 
Confed 
eration 


South  Carolina  Gazette  (Charleston),  1732;  in  Rhode  Island, 
The  Rhode  Island  Gazette  (Newport),  1732;  in  Virginia,  The 
Virginia  Gazette  (Williamsburg),  1736;  in  Connecticut,  The  Con 
necticut  Gazette  (New  Haven),  1755;  in  North  Carolina,  The 
North  Carolina  Gazette  (New  Berne),  1755;  ^n  New  Hampshire, 
The  New  Hampshire  Gazette  (Portsmouth),  1756.  Thus  the  only 
colonies  which  had  no  newspapers,  during  the  French  and  Indian 
War,  were  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  and  Georgia.  All  the  papers 
specified,  excepting  two,  were  "  Gazettes"  which  was  a  favorite  name, 
but  they  were,  in  the  main,  only  official  local  organs.*  At  a  later 
era,  unhappily,  they  many  of  them  all  too  soon  became  the  organs  of 
personal  vituperation  and  bitter  party  strife. 

We  have  seen  that  as  early  as  1643  the  New  England  colonies 
formed  a  confederation,  as  a  matter  of  safety.  It  did  not  last  long 
and  was  without  any  national  idea.  William  Penn  proposed  a  more 


*  The  colonial  records  contain  many  creditable  instances  of  the  business  aptitude  and 
ability  of  our  maternal  ancestors.  Numerous  accounts  are  given  in  Alice  Morse  Earle's 
"  Colonial  Dames  and  Good  Wives."  Thus  in  1638,  Margaret  and  Mary  Brent  came  from 
England  to  the  province  of  Maryland,  where  they  took  up  land  and  built  manor  houses, 
besides  which  they  were  active  in  business  matters.  Margaret  Brent  was  the  executrix 
for  Governor  Leonard  Calvert  (Lord  Baltimore)  and  quelled  an  insurrection  by  paying  off 
the  mutinous  troops.  Elizabeth  Haddon  founded  Haddonfield,  New  Jersey.  She  came 
alone  to  this  country  in  1701,  when  only  nineteen  years  old,  and  was  a  most  successful 
business-woman  throughout  her  long  life.  John  Clayton,  writing  in  1688,  speaks  of  a 
number  of  "  acute,  ingenious  gentlewomen"  in  Virginia  who  carried  on  thriving  tobacco 
plantations,  drained  swamps,  grazed  cattle,  and  bought  slaves.  The  founder  of  Taunton, 
Mass. ,  was  Elizabeth  Poole.  Among  the  Salem  list  of  traders  who  banded  together  dur 
ing  the  Stamp  Act  agitation,  to  oppose  taxation,  were  five  women  merchants.  "When 
Mrs.  Sarah  Goddard  became  a  widow,  she  took  up  printing  as  a  business  with  her  son 
and  published  The  Providence  Gazette  and  Country  Journal ',  the  only  newspaper  issued  in 
Providence  before  1775.  Her  son  removing  to  New  York,  she  conducted  the  business 
alone  for  years.  Her  daughter  published,  from  1775  to  1784,  The  Maryland  Journal  and 
Baltimore  Advertiser \  being  the  third  newspaper  published  in  Maryland.  Anna  Kather- 
ine  Green  carried  on  another  Baltimore  journal,  The  Maryland  Gazette,  from  1767  to  1775. 
Clementina  Rind  published  The  Virginia  Gazette  at  Williamsburg  previous  to  the  Revolu 
tion.  Much  earlier  (1738-1 740),  Elizabeth  Timothy  carried  on  The  South  Carolina  Gazette. 
Then  her  son  took  it,  and  his  widow,  Anne  Timothy,  published  it  for  ten  years  (1780- 
1790).  On  the  death,  in  1735,  of  James  Franklin,  the  elder  brother  of  Benjamin,  his 
widow  and  two  daughters  carried  on  a  printing  house  for  a  number  of  years,  besides 
publishing  The  Newport  Mercury.  The  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  Boston  News  Letter \ 
the  only  paper  printed  in  Boston  during  the  siege,  was  published  by  Widow  Margaret 
Draper.  Another  widow  publisher  was  the  relict  of  Andrew  Bradford,  who  founded  the 
first  newspaper  in  Pennsylvania  {The  American  Weekly  Mercury \  1719),  and  who  issued 
the  paper  from  1742  to  1746.  The  Connecticut  Courant.  and  The  Sentinel -were,  published 
for  years  by  the  widows  of  their  founders,  the  last  instance  being  The  New  York  Weekly 
Journal^  from  1746  to  1748. 


CHAP.  XXVIII 


THE   COLONIES 


399 


comprehensive  plan,  and  it  was  discussed  on  both  sides  of  the  At 
lantic,  but  at  the  time  with  no  thought,  in  either  country,  of  the  in 
dependence  of  the  colonies.  It  was  at  Albany,  in  1684,  that  a  con 
gress  met,  composed  of  the  officers  of  the  governments  of  Massachu 
setts,  New  York,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  and  the  sachems  of  the 
Six  Nations.  Ten  years  later  a  similar  convention  was  held  in  the 
same  town  which  prevented  the  Iroquois  from  making  peace  with  the 
French  of  Canada,  and  in  1722,  still  another  sought  to  strengthen 
the  alliance  with  the  same  powerful  Indian  confederacy. 

Gradually  the  tendency  towards  a  national  union  grew  among  the 
several  colonies.  In  the  summer  of  1748,  a  congress  met  in  Albany, 
the  inciting  cause  being  the  disputation  between  the  royal  governors 
and  the  people.  The  crown  officers  in  America  wished  to  secure  a 
colonial  revenue,  with  the  aid  of  British  interference,  and  independ 
ent  of  the  action  of  colonial  assemblies.  Another  object  was  to  weld 
the  bonds  of  friendship  between  the  Six  Nations  and  their  western 
neighbors  and  the  English.  The  latter  purpose  was  attained,  but 
the  royal  governors  failed  to  gain  anything  for  themselves. 

The  question  of  national  independence  which  was  taking  shape 
and  growing  among  the  colonies  disappeared  for  a  time  with  the 
breaking  out  of  the  French  and  Indian  War.  The  provinces  ar 
dently  united  with  Great  Britain  in  the  supreme  struggle  for  mastery 
in  the  New  World.  They  rendered  splendid  service  and  rejoiced 
when  England  was  triumphant  at  all  points  and  the  French  no  longer 
held  a  foothold  in  the  country.  That  the  American  colonies  were 
destined  in  time  to  become  independent  of  Great  Britain  was  "  writ 
ten  in  the  book  of  fate."  None  can  conceive  our  being  the  subjects 
of  that  country  at  any  period  during  the  nineteenth  century.  The 
separation  was  certain  to  come,  sooner  or  later,  but  had  England  pur 
sued  a  generous,  statesmanlike  policy  towards  her  American  colonies, 
their  independence  would  have  been  deferred,  and  when  it  did  come, 
it  probably  would  have  been  a  peaceful  separation.  But  the  mother 
was  jealous  of  her  lusty  child  on  this  side  of  the  ocean ;  and,  alarmed 
at  her  growing  strength  and  her  yearning  for  democratic  ideas,  she 
sought  to  crush  the  sentiment  by  repressive  and  tyrannous  laws. 
She  made  the  fatal  mistake  of  believing  that  she  could  stamp  out  dis 
affection  and  compel  the  colonies  to  feel  their  dependence  to  that 
extent  that  they  would  not  strike  a  blow  for  freedom. 

The  Navigation  Act,  which  was  passed  about  the  middle  of  the 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Tend 
ency 
Toward 
National 

Union 


Destiny 
of  the 
Colo 
nies 


AMERICA 


4oo  HISTORY   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvm 

PERIOD  in  seventeenth  century,  was  a  serious  blow  to  the  prosperity  of  the  col- 
ENGLAND    onics.     It  caused  much  dissatisfaction,  and  was  often  evaded:  but 

AND  FRANCE 

protests  were  of  no  avail  and  it  remained  in  force.  In  1733,  the  Im- 
portation  Act  became  law.  This  laid  outrageous  duties  on  sugar, 

1783  molasses,  and  rum  brought  into  the  provinces.  That,  too,  was  often 
evaded  and  finally  disregarded  altogether.  Then  England  forbade 

The       the  manufacture  of  steel,  or  the  cutting  of  pine-trees  outside  of  in- 

NelVijTel- 

tion  and    closures.     All  that  these  oppressive  acts  effected  was  to  deepen  the 

Imtionta~    resentment  of  the  people. 

Acts  Resolved  to  enforce  the  Importation  Act,  the  English  ministry,  in 

1761,  caused  the  issuance  of  "writs  of  assistance,"  which  empow 
ered  petty  constables  to  search  any  house  or  place,  and  to  seize 
such  goods  as  they  believed  had  not  paid  duty.  This  proceeding 
roused  the  anger  of  the  colonies,  and  in  Salem  and  also  in  Boston, 
the  courts  resisted  the  application  of  the  writs.  The  eloquent  James 
Otis,  Jr.,  advocate-general,  resigned  his  office  rather  than  appear  in 
behalf  of  the  crown  to  sustain  the  law  ;  in  fact,  he  did  not  hesitate 
to  denounce  the  act  as  unconstitutional.  John  Adams,  speaking  of 
Otis's  action  on  that  occasion,  observed  :  "  Otis  was  a  flame  of  fire. 
With  a  promptitude  of  classical  allusions,  a  depth  of  research,  a  rapid 
summary  of  historical  events  and  dates,  a  profusion  of  legal  authori 
ties,  a  prophetic  glance  into  futurity,  and  a  rapid  torrent  of  impetuous 
eloquence,  he  carried  away  all  before  him.  American  independence 
was  then  and  there  born."  The  determined  efforts  by  England, 
in  1763,  to  enforce  the  Importation  Act  ruined  the  colonial  trade 
with  the  West  Indies.  An  immense  town  meeting  was  held  in 
Boston,  in  which  the  most  prominent  citizens  took  part,  and  pro 
tested  against  the  tyranny,  but  not  the  slightest  heed  was  paid  to 
them. 

Grounds  We  nee^  hardly  tell  the  reader  of  these  pages  and  certainly 
of  Dis-  not  the  student  of  history,  that  Parliament  is  the  governing  body 
of  England,  and  that  the  House  of  Commons  decides  what  taxes 
and  customs  are  necessary  for  the  annual  expenses  of  the  kingdom. 
Our  forefathers  asserted  that  the  various  provincial  assemblies  con 
stituted  their  Houses  of  Commons,  and  that,  so  far  as  they  were 
concerned,  they  alone  should  pass  upon  the  question  of  taxation. 
England  would  not  agree  to  this,  but  insisted  on  the  vested  right  of 
taxation  by  the  imperial  parliament.  At  the  same  time,  she  refused 
to  allow  the  Americans  to  have  a  representation  in  that  body.  This 


CHAP.  XXVII 


THE    COLONIES 


401 


WILLIAM   PITT 


gave  rise  to  the  exasperating  grievance :    "  taxation  without  repre 
sentation."  * 

The  first  decisive  steps  towards  taxing  the  American  colonies  was 
taken  by  England  in  1764.  In  March  of  that  year,  the  House  of 
Commons,  by  resolution,  declared  it  proper 
to  impose  certain  stamp  duties  in  the  pro 
vinces,  and  gave  notice  that  a  bill  of  that 
nature  would  be  offered  at  the  next  session 
of  parliament.  The  feeling  of  irritation  in 
America  was  fanned  into  flame  by  the  high 
handed  course.  Public  meetings  were  held 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  fervid  pro 
tests  made  against  the  measure.  The  news 
papers  had  a  theme  which  overflowed  their 
columns.  Not  only  were  remonstrances  for 
warded  to  the  king  and  the  two  houses  of 
Parliament,  but  agents  were  sent  to  England 
to  endeavor  to  prevent  the  passage  and  enforcement  of  the  law. 

All  was  in  vain.  The  great  and  wise  Pitt  had  ceased  to  be  prime 
minister,  and  Parliament  scornfully  refused  the  prayer  of  the  Amer 
ican  colonies.  On  the  22d  of  March,  1765,  both  houses  passed  the 
detested  Stamp  Act,  which  proved  to  be  the  firebrand  of  strife  in 
the  Revolution.  Every  member  of  the  House  of  Lords  voted  for  it, 
and  in  the  House  of  Commons  it  had  a  majority  of  five  to  one.  The 
stubborn  monarch,  George  III.,  was  suffering  from  a  mental  malady 
at  the  time  and  could  not  sign  the  bill,  but  the  royal  assent  was 
given  by  a  board  of  commissioners  acting  for  him.  The  provisions 
of  the  Stamp  Act  were  that  every  bond,  mortgage,  note,  deed,  license, 
or  legal  document  of  whatever  kind,  used  in  the  American  colonies 
should  be  executed  on  paper  bearing  an  English  stamp,  and  furnished 

*For  several  years,  as  we  have  seen,  the  relations  between  England  and  her  American 
colonies  had  been  strained  to  the  point  of  rupture  by  trade  restrictions  imposed  by  the 
mother  country,  and  by  the  attempt  to  levy  taxes  to  help  her  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
the  French  War  and  maintain  her  increased  civil  and  military  establishments  in  this  coun 
try.  This  untoward  policy  arose  from  the  mistake  of  considering  the  settlements  of  the 
New  World  as  colonial  possessions,  to  be  held  solely  for  the  financial  benefit  of  England 
rather  than  for  their  own  advancement  and  material  well-being.  The  colonies  properly 
objected  to  be  taxed  without  their  consent,  and  without  representation  in  the  British  Par 
liament,  and  declared  that  they  were  sufficiently  oppressed  by  the  burden  of  customs 
duties  already  imposed  upon  them,  and  by  the  share  they  had  borne  in  the  maintenance 
of  their  local  assemblies. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA. 
1753 

TO 
1783 


Passage 

of  the 

Stamp 

Act 


Provi 
sions  of 

the 
Stamp 

Act 


402  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxvm 

PERIOD  in  by  that  government.     The  cost  varied  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
ANDFRAN?E  document  from  three  pence  to  six  pounds  sterling,  or  thirty  dollars. 

AMERICA     Every  newspaper,  pamphlet,  or  almanac  in  the  colonies  had  to  be 

J758       printed  on  stamped  paper,  costing  from  a  halfpenny  to  four  pence. 

*783       A  tax  of  two  shillings  was   imposed  on  every  advertisement.     No 

document  was  legal  unless  written  on  paper  bearing  the  hated  stamp ; 

the  act  was  to  take  effect  November  ist,  1765. 

Anger         Never  had  the  colonies  been  so  wrought  up  as  they  were  by  the 

Colo-  news  of  the  passage  of  this  law.  In  Boston  the  bells  were  solemnly 
mes  tolled,  and  in  Philadelphia  they  were  muffled.  A  multitude,  number 
ing  thousands,  marched  through  the  streets  of  New  York,  holding 
aloft  a  copy  of  the  Stamp  Act,  with  a  death's-head  nailed  to  it,  and 
with  an  immense  placard  displaying  the  words :  "  THE  FOLLY  OF 
ENGLAND  AND  THE  RUIN  OF  AMERICA!" 

Rioting  occurred  in  the  other  colonies,  and  the  stamp  officers  were 
forced  to  resign.  At  the  invitation  of  Massachusetts,  the  various 
colonial  representatives  met  in  New  York,  October  7th.  At  this 
conference  twenty-seven  delegates  appeared  from  nine  colonies,  viz  : 
Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland,  and  South  Carolina,  while  com 
munications  were  received  from  the  assemblies  of  Virginia,  New 
Hampshire,  North  Carolina,  and  Georgia  pledging  themselves  to 
agree  to  whatever  was  done  by  the  "  Stamp  Act  Congress."  That 
body,  during  the  fourteen  days  it  was  in  session,  fully  discussed  the 
rights  and  grievances  of  the  colonies.  John  Cruger,  of  New  Yofk, 
wrote  a  "  Declaration  of  Rights ;"  Robert  R.  Livingston,  of  the  same 
colony,  prepared  a  "  Petition  to  the  King;"  and  James  Otis,  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  formulated  a  "  Memorial  to  both  Houses  of  Parliament," 
all  of  which  were  adopted. 

Repeal         Tne  sturdy  resistance  of  the  Americans  produced  its  effect  in 
of  the 
Stamp     England.     The  Stamp  Act  was  repealed  on  the  1 8th  of  March,  1766. 

c  The  news  caused  great  rejoicing  in  America.  Congratulatory 
speeches,  cannon  peals,  bonfires,  and  illuminations  marked  the  pas 
sage  of  the  glad  tidings  from  colony  to  colony.  The  delighted 
Americans  in  many  ways  gave  expression  to  the  joy  of  the  hour. 
John  Hancock  opened  a  pipe  of  wine  in  front  of  his  mansion  on 
Beacon  Street,  Boston,  and  invited  all  to  partake.  The  citizens 
quickly  raised  a  fund  and  released  every  citizen  confined  in  jail  for 
debt.  In  New  York  all  the  bells  jangled  merrily,  cannon  boomed, 


CHAP.  XXVIII 


THE   COLONIES 


403 


and  a  royal  salute  of  twenty-one  guns  was  fired.     The  Sons  of  Lib-    PERIOD  in 
erty  raised  a  tall  pole  in  front  of  Warren  Street,  upon  which  was     ENGLAND 

J  f  r  AND  FRANCE 

placed  the  inscription, — "  His  Most  Gracious  Majesty,  George  the 
Third,  Mr.  Pitt,  and  Liberty."  It  was  decided  to  erect  a  statue  of 
Pitt  and  an  equestrian  statue  of  the  king.  Both  were  set  up  in 
1 770.  The  former  was  of  marble,  and  the  latter  of  lead !  Six  years 
later,  the  statue  of  the  king  was  melted  into  bullets  with  which  to 
fight  his  invading  soldiers. 


AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


CHAPTER    XXIX 
THE    MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR 

[Authorities  :  The  spirit  of  resistance,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  present  chapter,  was 
soon  now  to  take  a  determined  form  ;  for,  on  the  one  hand,  the  king  and  his  minis 
ters  stubbornly  insisted  on  England's  right  to  derive  some  benefit  from  her  colonies  ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  colonists  as  persistently  held  to  the  principle  of  no  taxa 
tion  without  representation,  and  upheld  the  rights  of  their  own  Assemblies.  The 
results  of  the  pending  conflict  will  now  be  traced  in  the  text  as  they  successively 
developed  themselves.  The  authorities,  English  and  American,  for  the  period  are  both 
historical  and  biographical.  They  include  Green's  "  History  of  the  English  People  ;  " 
Lecky's  "  England  in  the  1 8th  Century  ;"  Lodge's  "Short  History  of  the  American 
Colonies  ; "  Bryant  and  Gay's,  Bancroft's,  and  Hildreth's  United  States  Histories  ;  Fiske's 
44  American  Revolution  ;"  Sparks's  "Washington  ;"  Morse's,  McMaster's,  and  Parton's 
Lives  of  Benjamin  Franklin  ;  Tudor's  "Life  of  Otis  ;"  Coit  Tyler's  "  Patrick  Henry  ;" 
Hosmer's  "  Samuel  Adams  ;"  and  Morse's  "  John  Adams."] 

|HE  rejoicing  throughout  the  colonies  over  the  repeal 
of  the  Stamp  Act  was  not  allowed  to  continue  long. 
The  repeal  was  simply  an  act  of  expediency. 
England  was  as  insistent  as  ever  upon  her  right  to 
tax  the  Americans,  without  allowing  them  a  voice 
in  the  matter ;  and  even  in  the  midst  of  the  general 
jubilation  there  were  many  thoughful  patriots  who 
saw  that  the  grave  trouble  was  postponed  only  for  a 
short  time.  England  passed  more  oppressive  measures,  and  the  royal 
governors  and  her  agents  were  ordered  to  enforce  them.  Since  Boston 
was  the  hot-bed  of  the  revolt,  two  regiments  of  British  soldiers  were 
brought  thither  from  Halifax,  by  order  of  General  Gage,  the  military 
governor  of  Massachusetts.  Against  the  indignant  remonstrances  of 
the  citizens,  they  were  landed  on  the  first  day  of  October,  1768. 


CHAP,  xxix         THE    MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR 


405 


Governor  Bernard  had  gone  into  the  country  to  escape  the  resentful  PERIOD  in 

wrath  of  the  people.     The  citizens  had  been  ordered  to  provide  quar-  ENGLAND 

*         r                                                                                                                x  AND  FRANCE 

ters  for  the  troops,  and  their  officers  now  demanded  them.      They  re- 

fused,  at  which   the   officers   blustered   and   made   ominous  threats.  I75 

Then   by  force   one   regiment   encamped  in  tents  on  the  Common,  178 


AM™ICA 


OTIS  AND  THE    COMMISSIONER 


while  the  other  bivouacked  as  best  they  could.  The  night  was  cold, 
and  the  soldiers  suffered  so  much  that  the  people  were  touched  with 
pity  and  Faneuil  Hall  was  thrown  open  to  them.  Their  presence, 
however,  was  a  source  of  constant  irritation.  They  were  overbear 
ing  to  the  citizens,  while  the  latter  taunted  them  on  the  streets. 
Affrays  were  numerous  and  only  a  spark  was  needed  to  produce  an 
explosion. 

Opposition  to  taxation  without  representation  nerved  all  the  col- 


British 
Soldiers 
in  Bos 
ton 


406  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES       CHAP,  xxix 

PERIOD  in  onies  to  the  point  of  open  resistance.      Affairs  in  Boston  grew  more 

ANDFRANCK  tnreatenmg-     The  eloquent  Otis  had  been  slandered  in  England  by 

AMERICA    a  commissioner,  whom  he  took  to  task  in  a  Boston  newspaper.     The 

T758       two  met  in  a  coffee-house  and  the  commissioner  attempted  to  pull 

'783       Otis's  nose.     A  fierce  bout  followed,  during  which  Otis  received  so 

vicious  a  blow  on  the  head  from  a  heavy  cane  that  it  permanently 

affected  his  brain  and  destroyed  his  usefulness  for  the  remainder  of 

his  life.     Yet  he  lived  to  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  pitied  by  all, 

and,  in  the  spring  of  1782,  met  death  in  a  manner  for  which  he  had 

often  expressed  a  longing:  he  was  killed  by  a  stroke  of  lightning.* 

The  Bos-       The  first  serious  affray  between  the  citizens  of  Boston  and  the 

sacre      soldiers  occurred  on  March  5th,  1770.     There  had  been  a  number  of 

collisions,  and  the  town  was  in  a  feverish  state.     An  officer  was 

sauntering  along  the  street,  when  a  boy,  pointing  at  him,  called  out 

that  he  was  too  mean  to  pay  his  barber  for  dressing  his  hair.     A 

sentinel  standing  near  the  Custom  House,  overhearing  the  insult,  ran 

out  and  knocked  the  boy  down  with  the  butt  of  his  musket.     The 

boy  was  not  so  badly  hurt  as  to  be  unable  to  use  his  voice,  and  he 

emitted  a  series  of  yells  which  quickly  brought  a  crowd  to  the  spot. 

An  alarm  bell  was  rung  and  the  excitement  spread.    The  boy  pointed 

out  the  soldier  who  had  struck  him,  and  the  crowd  began  pelting  him 

with  snowballs  and  lumps  of  ice.      He  raised  his  musket  and  pulled 

the  trigger,  but  the  weapon  missed  fire.     The  crowd  rushed  at  him 

and  he  ran  to  the  Custom  House,  near  by.     Captain  Preston,  the 

officer  of  the  day,  sent  out  eight  soldiers  with  unloaded  muskets,  but 

provided  with  ball  cartridges.     He  himself  accompanied  them,  ner- 

*  James  Otis  [1725-1783],  the  eloquent  and  impetuous  leader  of  the  patriotic  party  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  was  bora  at  West  Barnstable,  Mass. ,  and  graduated  at  Har 
vard  College  in  his  eighteenth  year.  In  1 746,  he  began  the  practice  of  law  at  Plymouth, 
and  four  years  afterwards  removed  to  Boston,  where  he  became  a  law-officer  of  the 
crown,  and  ultimately  Advocate-General  of  the  Admiralty.  In  1760,  the  British  authori 
ties  put  in  force  in  the  colonies  what  were  termed  "Writs  of  Assistance,"  giving  power  to 
customs  officers  to  enter  any  man's  house  suspected  of  concealing  smuggled  goods.  The 
legality  of  the  measure  was  challenged,  and  Otis,  as  shown,  rather  than  defend  the  en 
forcement  of  the  writs,  resigned  his  office  and  appeared  for  the  people  against  their  issu 
ance  and  operation.  Soon  afterwards  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature, 
and  he  at  once  made  his  mark  as  an  influential  speaker  on  the  side  of  liberty,  and  elo 
quently  denounced  British  aggression  on  the  rights  of  the  people.  In  1765,  his  own 
State  (Massachusetts)  sent  him  as  a  delegate  to  the  first  Continental  Congress,  where  he 
became  conspicuous  as  a  leader  and  an  impassioned  orator,  denouncing  with  telling  effect 
the  imposition  of  the  Stamp  Act  and  other  oppressions  of  the  Crown.  We  have  seen,  in 
the  text,  what  unhappy  circumstance  brought  on  mental  derangement,  and  how  sad  and 
calamitous  was  the  patriot's  enu. 


CHAP.   XXIX 


THE    MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR 


407 


vous,  but  self-possessed,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that  he  showed  PERIOD  in 
commendable  restraint.  As  the  detachment  approached,  the  citizens 
hurled  snow  and  ice  at  them  and  shouted  insulting  epithets.  Cris- 
pus  Attucks,  a  muscular  Nantucket  Indian  sailor,  uttered  a  war- 
whoop  and  called  on  his  companions  to  attack  the  soldiers,  who,  see 
ing  that  a  collision  was  certain,  began  loading  their  guns.  The  crowd 
pressed  upon  them  from  all  sides,  struck  their  muskets  with  clubs, 


ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1753 

TO 

1783 


THE  BOSTON   MASSACRE 

and  called  them  cowards  for  bringing  arms  against  men  who  had  no 
weapons.  "  Come  on  !"  shouted  Attucks  to  his  friends  ;  "  they  darsen't 
fire !  Knock  'em  down !  Let's  kill  'em  all !" 

Captain  Preston  begged  the  mob  to  refrain,  but  his  appeal  was 
vain.  Attucks  aimed  a  blow  at  Preston's  head  with  his  club,  but  the 
officer  parried  it  by  throwing  up  his  arm.  It  struck  a  musket, 
knocked  it  from  the  grasp  of  the  soldier,  who  stooped  at  the  same 
instant  with  Attucks,  both  seizing  it  together  and  wrestling  vio 
lently  for  it.  "Why  don't  you  fire?  Will  you  wait  till  we  are 


408  HISTORY    OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxrx 

PERIOD  in  killed?"  shouted  several  persons  behind  Preston.     The  soldier  just 

A?D  FRANCE  ^en»  ^7  ^  ^erce  wrench,  twisted  the  weapon  from  the  hands  of  At- 

AMERICA     tucks  and  shot  him  dead.      Captain  Preston,  who  had  lost  his  pa- 

J758       tience,  neither  ordered  his  men  to  fire  nor  to  refrain.     A  half-dozen 

'783       discharged  their  guns  into  the  crowd,  for  their  lives  were  in  danger. 

As  the  frightened  mob  scattered,  eight  forms  were  seen  stretched 

on  the  ground,  while  three  others  were  slightly  hurt.     Three  were 

dead,  and  of  the  five  remaining,  two  were  mortally  wounded.      The 

soldiers  were  now  thoroughly  roused  and  would  have  fired  upon  the 

citizens,  who  ran  forward  to  carry  away  the  bodies,  had  not  Captain 

Preston  forbidden  them. 

thehsol-  It:  seemed  but  a  f ew  minutes  until  news  of  the  tragedy  had  spread 
diers  from  one  end  of  Boston  to  the  other.  Although  it  was  late  at  night, 
lights  twinkled  from  every  house,  the  alarm  bells  were  rung, 
drums  beaten,  and  men  swarmed  to  the  scene  of  the  affray.  Colonel 
Dalrymple  promised  the  citizens  that  justice  should  be  done  in  the 
morning,  and  gradually  they  returned  to  their  homes.  Meanwhile, 
Captain  Preston  and  the  eight  soldiers  were  arrested,  and  the  next 
day  were  charged  with  the  crime  of  murder.  It  was  not  until  au 
tumn,  when  the  excitement  had  considerably  subsided,  that  the  ac 
cused  were  brought  to  trial  before  a  court  in  Boston.  The  prisoners 
were  defended  by  Josiah  Quincy,  Jr.,  and  John  Adams,  both  of  whom 
were  inspired  by  the  highest  of  motives,  though  many  of  their  coun 
trymen  censured  them  for  their  course.  Robert  Treat  Paine,  after 
wards  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  was  counsel  for 
the  crown.  Captain  Preston  and  six  of  the  soldiers  were  declared 
not  guilty.  The  others  were  convicted  of  manslaughter,  branded 
with'  a  hot  iron  on  the  hand  in  open  court,  and  discharged. 
Settle-  Something  like  a  lull  in  the  obnoxious  legislation  of  parliament 
m*he°  followed  the  Boston  Massacre  and  lasted  for  two  years.  During  that 
South-  period,  the  restless  spirit  of  adventure  led  many  Americans  to  cross 
the  Alleghanies  and  explore  the  valleys  of  the  Ohio,  Cumberland, 
and  Tennessee  rivers,  while  others  penetrated  the  wilderness  in  the 
more  southern  portions  of  the  Misssissippi  valley.  Daniel  Boone 
and  his  brother  pioneers  were  traversing  the  Kentucky  forests  and 
opening  the  way  for  settlements,  while  James  Robertson  went  to 
that  part  of  Tennessee  called  Wautaga  in  1770.  He  rode  over  the 
mountains  from  North  Carolina  to  the  Great  Smokies,  where  he  found 
that  a  few  settlers  had  preceded  him.  He  was  so  pleased  with  the 


CHAP,  xxix         THE    MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR  409 

country  that  he  returned   to  North   Carolina,  and  in  the  following  PERIOD  in 

spring  came  back  with  fifteen  families,  besides  his  own.     He  was  ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

an  enterprising  man  and  formed  a  creditable  government,  which,  six  AM™ICA 

years  later,  was  organized  into  Washington  county,  as  a  part  of  North  J758 

Carolina.     The  colony  throve  and  was  the  first  distinct  body  to  move  1783 


DANIEL  BOONE 

into   the  wilderness  and  build  dwellings  for  themselves  and  their      Lord 
families.  more's 

The  Indians  resented  this  intrusion  upon  their  lands,  and  what  is  ai 
known  as  Lord  Dunmore's  War  soon  broke  out.  The  decisive  battle 
was  fought  at  Point  Pleasant  on  the  Great  Kanawha,  October  loth, 
1774.  The  Shawanoes,  the  fiercest  of  the  western  tribes,  were  led  by 
the  famous  chief  Cornstalk,  who  brought  more  than  a  thousand  war 
riors  a  long  distance  through  the  forest  with  such  stealth  that  none  of 


410  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxix 

PERIOD  in  the  whites  knew  that  he  was  approaching  the  Great  Kanawha  until  he 
nac*  an"ived  there.     The  Indians'  line  of  battle  was  a  mile  long.     The. 


AMERICA  ^  orces  of  the  settlers  were  in  number  about  the  same  as  those  of  their 
enemies,  and  they  fought  for  hours  with  only  a  few  rods  separating 
the  lines.  Cornstalk  showed  more  skill  than  did  Colonel  Lewis,  the 
commander  of  the  whites,  but  the  battle  was  a  drawn  one.  In  the 
night,  however,  the  Shawanoes  fled  across  the  Ohio.  Their  loss  was 
over  two  hundred,  while  that  of  the  whites  was  one  hundred  and 
thirty  men  and  half  the  commissioned  officers.  Some  time  later, 
a  conference  was  held  with  the  Indians  and  a  satisfactory  peace 
arranged. 

Battle  of  Governor  Tryon  ruled  in  North  Carolina.  He  was  a  bitter  royal- 
mance,  ist,  passionate  and  revengeful,  wholly  lacking  in  tact  and  generosity. 
Legislation  in  that  colony  became  so  oppressive  that  bands  of  Regu 
lators  *  were  formed  and  anarchy  prevailed.  A  man  named  Husbands 
was  imprisoned  at  New  Berne  and  was  released  by  these  bands.  *  Gov 
ernor  Tryon,  with  three  hundred  militia  and  several  pieces  of  artil 
lery,  set  out  to  punish  the  Regulators,  and  while  encamped  on  the 
Eno  received  reinforcements.  He  also  learned  that  other  troops  on 
their  way  to  join  him  with  ammunition  had  been  routed  by  Regu 
lators  and  the  powder  taken  from  them.  Tryon  pushed  on  to  Ala- 
mance  .Creek,  where  he  encountered  those  who  defied  the  law.  In 
the  parley  which  followed,  Tryon  became  angered  at  one  of  the 
Regulators,  an  old  man,  who  came  forward  to  meet  him  under  a  flag 
of  truce.  Snatching  a  musket  from  one  of  the  soldiers,  he  shot  the 
messenger  dead.  The  Regulator  bearing  the  flag  of  truce  by  a  sharp 
dash  reached  his  own  lines  without  injury,  although  repeatedly  fired 
upon.  In  the  fight  which  followed,  in  May,  1/71,  nine  of  the  mil 
itia  and  twenty  of  those  who  sought  to  have  the  laws  honestly  exe 
cuted  were  killed.  This,  in  reality,  was  the  first  battle  in  our  War 
for  Independence. 

The  commissioners  of  customs  at  Boston,  in  the  summer  of  1772, 
despatched  the  Gaspe,  an  armed  British  schooner,  into  Narragansett 
Bay  to  enforce  the  revenue  laws.  Governor  Wanton,  of  Rhode 
Island,  sent  the  high-sheriff  on  board  the  Gaspd  with  a  demand  upon 


*  An  organized  rising  of  the  people  in  North  Carolina,  who  resisted  the  payment  of 
taxes,  and  other  extortionate  levies,  except  those  authorized  and  justly  imposed  by  their 
own  laws. 


CHAP,  xxix         THE    MUTTERINGS    OF   WAR 


411 


AM™  ICA 


Lieutenant  Dudingston  to  show  his  commission.  That  officer  re-  PERIOD  in 
fused  and  was  insolent  and  threatening.  He  ordered  ships  in  pass- 
ing  the  Gaspt  to  lower  their  colors  by  way  of  salute,  and  when  they 
failed  to  do  so,  he  fired  upon  them.  On  the  gth  of  June,  17/2,  the 
packet  Hannah  refused  to  pay  homage  and  the  Gasp/  gave  chase. 
In  the  pursuit,  the  Gasp/  ran  aground  and  remained  fast.  Learning 
of  her  predicament,  John  Brown,  a  well-known  merchant  of  Provi 
dence,  organized  an  expedition  to  destroy  her.  Eight  boats,  with 


TO 

1783 


THE  OLD  SOUTH  CHURCH,  BOSTON 


four  men  in  each,  under  charge  of  Captain  Whipple,  were  collected  Destruc- 
at  night,  and  as  many  more  joined  the  expedition  and  were  rowed 


with  muffled  oars  to  the  stranded  vessel.  Seeing  them  approach, 
Lieutenant  Dudingston  ordered  them  to  keep  off,  and,  when  they  con 
tinued  to  approach,  he  fired  his  pistol  among  them.  Instantly  a 
musket  replied,  wounding  the  Lieutenant,  who  was  carried  below. 
The  Americans  boarded  the  vessel,  and  the  crew  were  sent  ashore 


the 
Gaspe 


412 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxix 


AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


with  their  property.     Then  the  Gaspd  was  set  on  fire  and  some  hours 
later  blew  up. 

This,  it  is  true,  was  a  high-handed  act,  and  large  rewards  were 
offered  both  by  the  governor  and  by  the  English  government  for  the 
apprehension  of  the  perpetrators ;  but  though  the  participants  were 
well  known  to  scores  of  people,  no  one  betrayed  them.  In  1775, 
after  the  war  with  Great  Britain  had  begun,  there  was  no  longer  any 
need  of  keeping  the  secret,  which  became  the  property  of  all.  Sir 
James  Wallace  was  blockading  Narragansett  Bay,  while  W'hipple  was 
in  command  of  a  small  provincial  naval  force  intended  for  its  protec 
tion.  One  day  he  received  the  following  note : 

"You,  Abraham  Whipple,  on  the  loth  of  June,  1772,  burned  his  Majesty's  vessel,  the 
Gaspe,  and  I  will  hang  you  at  the  yard-arm.  JAMES  WALLACE." 


Promptly  the  following  answer  went  back : 

"  SIR, — Always  catch  a  man  before  you  hang  him! 


ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE." 


Resist 
ance  to 
the  Tax 
on  Tea 


Since  the  Americans  were  striving  for  a  principle,  England  was 
equally  determined  to  enforce  its  asserted  right  to  levy  a  share  of 
the  imperial  burdens  upon  the  colonies.  Taxes  were  removed  from 
all  articles  except  tea,  and  the  tax  upon  that  was  made  so  light  that 
it  could  be  bought  cheaper  in  America  with  the  tax  than  in  England 
without  it.  Confident  that  the  luxury  would  be  purchased  upon 
these  terms,  the  East  India  Company  filled  several  of  their  ships 
with  cargoes  of  tea,  and,  in  August,  1773,  despatched  them  to  Amer 
ica, — one  to  Charleston,  one  to  Philadelphia,  one  to  New  York,  and 
the  others  to  Boston.  All  these  places  received  notice  of  what  was 
coming,  and  resolved  that  the  cargoes  should  not  be  allowed  to  land. 
The  first  public  meeting  to  consider  the  matter  was  held  in  New 
York,  October  I5th,  1773.  The  "Mohawks,"  as  the  anti-tax  citi 
zens  were  called,  organized  and  were  soon  ready  for  action.  The 
vessel  on  her  way  to  the  city,  however,  was  driven  out  of  its  course 
by  a  storm  and  put  into  Antigua  for  repairs.  It  did  not  arrive  until 
April,  1774.  When  the  Nancy  appeared  she  was  detained  in  the 
lower  bay  by  pilots,  and  a  vigilance  committee  took  possession,  until 
the  captain  agreed  to  return  to  England  without  breaking  the  pack 
ages.  The  same  course  was  taken  in  Philadelphia,  while  the  cargo 
which  reached  Charleston  was  purposely  stored  in  damp  cellars  where 
it  soon  rotted  and  became  worthless. 

Boston  was  seething  with  excitement  for  days  before  the  Dart- 


414  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxix 


in  mouth  with  her  cargo  of  tea  reached  that  port.  The  town  was  pla- 
AMDFRAMCE  carded  with  calls  to  the  citizens  to  rise  against  tyranny,  and  numer- 
ou^  public  meetings  were  held  at  which  fiery  resolutions  were  adopted 
amid  wild  cheering.  Two  other  tea-ships  soon  arrived  and  were 
'783  moored  alongside  the  Dartmouth  at  Griffin's  Wharf.  An  immense 
assemblage  gathered  in  and  around  the  Old  South  Meeting  House 
early  in  the  evening  of  December  i6th,  1  773.  Stirring  addresses  were 
made  by  Josiah  Quincy  and  Samuel  Adams.  While  the  latter  was 
speaking  word  was  received  that  the  governor,  who  had  been  asked  to 
give  his  consent  to  return  the  obnoxious  tea  to  England,  would  not 
allow  any  of  the  tea  vessels  to  leave  the  port  until  their  cargoes  were 
landed.  "Then,"  said  Adams,  "this  meeting  can  do  no  more  to 
save  the  country!"  —  implying  that  it  could  not  now  be  saved  to- 
England. 

The  Bos-  These  words  it  had  been  agreed  should  be  a  signal  for  the  action 
Party  that  had  been  previously  discussed.  A  man  in  the  gallery,  painted 
and  dressed  like  an  Indian,  gave  a  war-whoop,  which  was  answered 
by  others,  and  instantly  a  rush  was  made  for  Griffin's  Wharf.  The 
"  Mohawks"  seemed  to  spring  from  the  ground,  and  running  to  the 
pier  swarmed  aboard  the  ships.  In  the  space  of  three  hours  342 
chests  of  tea  were  burst  open  and  their  contents  emptied  into  the 
bay.  Sixty  men  were  engaged  in  the  work,  many  of  whom  were 
not  disguised.  There  was  no  disorder  or  shouting,  and  when  the 
"  Boston  Tea  Party  "  had  concluded  their  operations  the  multitude 
separated  to  their  homes.*  The  news  of  this  daring  act  reached 
England  in  the  following  January.  As  may  be  supposed,  it  caused 
much  indignation,  and  Parliament  retaliated  by  passing  the  Boston 
Port  Bill,  which  closed  the  port  of  Boston  to  all  outside  trade  until 
the  people  had  paid  for  the  tea  destroyed.  It  also  passed  a  bill  to 
regulate  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  which  took  the  right  of 

*  The  determination  to  prevent  the  bringing  of  tea  into  the  country  was  not  confined 
to  the  ships  sent  by  England.  The  Peggy  Stewart,  owned  by  a  merchant  of  Annapolis, 
Md.,  sailed  into  that  harbor,  October  igth,  1774.  The  citizens  notified  the  owner  that 
the  tea  must  be  sent  back  to  England.  He  refused,  whereupon  a  party  took  possession, 
and  placing  a  torch  in  the  hand  of  the  owner,  compelled  him  to  set  fire  to  his  own  vessel 
and  its  cargo.  The  act  was  done  openly  and  the  ship  and  cargo  were  burned  to  ashes. 
The  obdurate  owner  was  never  able  to  obtain  redress.  In  1890,  the  Maryland  Society 
selected  "  Peggy  Stewart  Day  "  as  the  date  of  its  annual  meeting.  The  destruction  of 
the  ship  and  tea  was  celebrated  with  considerable  ceremony  so  late  as  1894  —  a  hundred 
and  twenty  years  afterwards. 


COPYRIGHT   1896.  FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY    H      A.    OGDEN 

DELEGATES  LEAVING  CARPENTER'S  HALL  AFTER  A  SESSION 


4*6  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxix 

PERIOD  in  nomination  to  certain  important  offices  from  the  people  and  gave  it 

ANDF^AN^E  to  tne  g°vernor>  and  forbade  the  assembling  of  citizens  to   discuss 

AMERICA     public  questions ;  a  bill  to  transport  offenders  to  other  provinces  or 

J758       to  Great  Britain  for  trial,  which  gave  to  any  one  charged  with  murder, 

1783       committed  in  aid  of  the  magistrates,  the  right  to  be  tried  in  Eng 
land  and  not   in  the  colonies  (virtually  a  pledge   of  acquittal)  ;  and 
what  is  called  the  Quebec  bill,  which  annexed  all  the  territory  north 
of  the  Ohio  River  and  east  of  the  Mississippi  to  Canada. 
The  Bos-       The  Boston  Port  Bill  reached  Massachusetts  May  loth,  1774,  a  few 

Bill  days  after  General  Gage  had  been  appointed  governor  of  the  colony. 
It  had  been  received  in  New  York  at  an  earlier  date.  There  was  a 
large  Tory  element  in  the  city,  but  the  patriots  resolved  to  stand  by 
Massachusetts  in  the  fight  she  had  begun.  New  York  proposed,  as 
the  first  important  step,  a  general  congress  of  the  colonies.  Each 
colony  accepted  the  suggestion,  joining  also  in  the  pledge  to  support 
Massachusetts,  which  had  sent  a  circular  letter  to  them  asking  for 
their  countenance  and  co-operation.  The  port  of  Boston  was  closed 
at  noon,  June  1st,  1774.  In  Philadelphia  and  other  towns  the  bells 
tolled  a  funeral-knell,  while  in  many  other  places  the  day  was  observed 
by  fasting  and  prayer  for  the  safety  of  the  country.  The  law  was 
rigorously  enforced  and  soon  caused  widespread  suffering  in  Boston, 
but  her  sister  colonies  promptly  responded,  shipping  provisions  to 
the  half -starving  people.  Even  the  city  of  London,  in  its  corporate 
capacity,  sent  three-quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars  for  the  relief  of 
the  poor  in  Boston.  Marblehead  and  Salem  offered  the  free  use  of 
their  wharves  and  stores  to  their  afflicted  neighbor. 

Meanwhile,  the  mutter  ings  of  war  grew  louder-  throughout  the 

War  land.  Men  from  all  stations  in  life  joined  military  companies  which 
practised  tactics  day  and  night.  Many  had  not  forgotten  the  lessons 
learned  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  a  dozen  years  before.  Boys 
trained  with  sticks  for  muskets,  and  the  anvils  of  the  blacksmiths 
rang  as  they  forged  guns,  swords,  and  bayonets,  while  others  made 
gunpowder,  and  the  women  assisted  in  heating  the  bullet  moulds  and 
melting  lead.  After  the  close  of  Congress  at  Philadelphia,  the  Pro 
vincial  Congress  of  Massachusetts  voted  to  enroll  1 2,000  of  her  pa 
triots,  under  the  general  name  of  "  Minute-Men,"  who  were  volun 
teers  that  would  be  ready  at  a  minute's  notice  to  take  the  field 
with  weapons  in  hand.  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  did  the 
same :  other  colonies  caught  the  contagion  of  patriotism,  and  in 


CHAP.   XXIX 


THE    MUTTERINGS    OF    WAR 


417 


Virginia  the  minute-men  formed  an  important  part  of  her  military 
force. 

The  instructions  which  reached  General  Gage  in  the  summer  of 
1774  annulled  the  government  of  Massachusetts  and  made  him  auto 
crat  of  the  province.  He  formed  a  council  of  thirty-six  members, 
but  the  indignation  of  their  fellow-citizens  quickly  forced  twenty  of 
them  to  resign,  and  the  others  cowered  under  the  protection  of  the 
troops  in  Boston.  A  convention  of  delegates,  representing  the  towns 
in  the  county  to  which  Boston  belonged,  met  on  the  6th  of  Septem 
ber,  1774,  and  boldly  declared  that  the  acts  of  Parliament  were  not 
entitled  to  obedience;  recommended  the  seizure  as  hostages  of  such 
crown-officers  as  fell  in  their  way,  after  any  patriot  should  be  arrested 
for  a  political  offence,  and  protested  against  the  fortifications  begun 
by  the  soldiers  of  General  Gage  on  Boston  Neck  as  an  act  of  hos 
tility.  They  declared  that  they  would  not  begin  war,  but  would  act, 
at  first  at  least,  on  the  defensive ;  and  they  further  notified  the  gen 
eral  that  they  would  never  submit  to  the  late  acts  of  Parliament 
affecting  Americans. 

On  the  5th  of  September,  1774,  the  first  Continental  Congress  met 
in  Carpenter's  Hall,  Philadelphia.  There  were  present  forty-four 
delegates,  ten  fewer  than  the  number  elected.  Georgia,  the  youngest 
of  all  the  colonies,  was  unrepresented.  Among  the  Virginia  dele 
gates  were  George  Washington  and  Patrick  Henry.  All  were  able 
and  patriotic  men,  who  had  only  the  good  of  their  country  at  heart. 
Peyton  Randolph,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Virginia,  was  made  president. 
The  discussions  were  worthy  of  the  great  minds  that  took  part  in 
them,  and  who  fully  comprehended  the  tremendous  crisis  that  was  at 
hand.  The  feeling  was  general  that  the  hour  had  not  yet  come  for  a 
formal  separation  from  the  mother  country,  and  it  was  hoped  that 
the  stubborn  king  and  Parliament  would  comprehend  the  danger  in 
time  to  do  justice  to  the  Americans  and  win  them  back  to  their  alle 
giance, — at  this  period  an  easy  thing  to  do.  On  the  8th  of  October, 
however,  the  following  resolution  was  passed : 

"  That  t/iis  Congress  approve  the  opposition  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  execution  of  the  late  acts  of  Parliament; 
and  if  tJie  same  shall  be  attempted  to  be  carried  into  execution  by 
force,  in  such  case  all  America  ought  to  support  them  in  their  opposi 
tion!' 

This  peremptory  promise  of  action  was   the  reply  to  the  letter 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1733 


General 

Gage 

made 

Military 

Governor 

of 

Massa 
chusetts 


The 
First 
Contin 
ental 
Con 
gress 


4i8  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxix 

PERIOD  in  written  on  the  29th  of  September  by  the  Boston  Committee  of  Cor- 
JfoFRANCE  resPondence,  reciting  the  wrongs  suffered  by  the  inhabitants  of  that 
AMERICA    town>  an(^  asking  whether  they  should  abandon  their  homes  and  leave 
Boston,  or  suffer  a  little  longer.     A  letter  was  also  sent  to  General 
Gage  warning  him  that  the  steps  he  was  taking  in  erecting  fortifica 
tions  was  likely  to  involve  the  colonies  in  civil  war. 

Acts  of  On  October  I4th,  the  congress  adopted  a  "  Declaration  of  Colonial 
gress  Rights,"  which  pronounced  the  several  obnoxious  acts  of  Parliament, 
including  the  Quebec  act,  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of  the  col 
onies.  Six  days  later,  the  American  Association  was  adopted,  which 
was  a  non- importation,  non-consumption,  and  non-exportation  agree 
ment  applied  to  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  the  West  Indies,  and  Ma 
deira.  A  week  later,  an  "  Address  to  the  People  of  Great  Britain," 
written  by  John  Jay,  was  adopted,  including  a  "  Memorial  to  the  In 
habitants  of  the  Several  British-American  Colonies,"  prepared  by 
William  Livingston.  The  26th  of  October  was  the  last  day  of  Con 
gress,  and  it  was  then  that  it  agreed  to  the  "  Petition  to  the  King," 
from  the  pen  of  John  Dickinson,  setting  forth  in  mild,  conciliatory 
terms  the  final  decision  of  the  colonies,  including  also  an  "  Address 
to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Province  of  Quebec,"  written  by  the  same 
delegate.  Then  the  First  Continental  Congress,  having  recom 
mended  another  assembling  of  the  body  on  the  loth  of  the  following 
May,  if  their  grievances  were  not  redressed,  adjourned,  having  been 
in  actual  session  thirty-one  days  of  the  eight  weeks. 

King  George  stubbornly  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  prayers  of  his 
American  children.     General  Gage  was   instructed  to  do  his  duty, 
without  fear  or  favor,   and  he  obeyed  commands.     He  had  sum- 
The  Re-  moned  the  Assembly  of  Massachusetts  to  meet  at  Salem,  on  the  5th 
Massa-    °^  October,  to  consider  the  acts  of  Parliament;   but  the  patriots  had 
chusetts   become  so  bold,  because  of  the  course  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
that  he  countermanded  the  order.     Ninety  of  the  members,  however, 
denying  his  right  to  recall  the  order,  met  on  the  day  named,  waited 
two  days  for  the  governor,  who  did  not  show  himself,  and  then  or 
ganized  by  resolving  themselves  into  a  provincial  congress,  with  John 
Hancock  president,   and  Benjamin   Lincoln  secretary.      Then  they 
adjourned  to  Concord,  where  two  hundred  and  sixty  members  took 
their  seats  on  the  nth  instant,  after  which  an  adjournment  was  had 
to  Cambridge.     A  message  was  sent  to  Gage  notifying  him  that  for 
want  of  a  legal  Assembly  they  had  organized  a  convention.     They 


CHAP.   XXIX 


THE    MUTTERINGS    OF   WAR 


419 


protested  against  the  recent  acts  of  the  king,  affirmed  their  loyalty  to 
the  Crown,  but  complained  of  the  fortifying  of  Boston  Neck.  Gage 
replied  that  the  fortifications  were  for  the  purpose  of  defence,  de 
nounced  the  convention  as  an  illegal  body,  and  warned  the  members 
to  refrain  from  further  action.  But  he  might  as  well  have  striven  to 
dam  the  Mississippi  as  to  stem  the  tide  of  patriotism  which  was 
rising  every  hour  and  would  soon  break  all  barriers. 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCI 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


CHAPTER    XXX 


Eve  of 
the  Rev 
olution 


EVENTS    OF  7775     (LEXINGTON  AND    CONCORD} 

[Authorities:  The  estrangement  was  now  complete,  and  revolution,  it  will  be  seen, 
takes  the  place  of  protest  against  the  untoward  policy  of  the  king  and  his  ministers.  It 
is  doubtless  easy  now  to  say  that  constitutional  means  of  redress  had  not  been  exhausted 
and  that  there  was,  as  yet,  no  reason  to  despair  of  obtaining  a  repeal  of  the  Tea  Duty  as 
there  had  been  a  repeal  of  the  Stamp  Tax.  But  a  self-respecting  people  were,  aside 
from  the  obnoxious  levyings,  not  apt  to  submit  tamely  to  such  irritations  as  the  Quarter- 
ings  Act,  or  to  the  violence  of  a  stubborn  king  and  his  ministers  and  the  autocracy  of 
his  haughty  generals.  Continued  "fidelity -to  the  Crown  now  became  treason  to  the 
Commonwealth."  For  the  authorities  of  the  period,  in  addition  to  the  works  quoted 
at  the  head  of  the  previous  chapter,  see  May's  "  Constitutional  History  of  England  ;" 
Trevelyan's  "Life  of  Charles  James  Fox;"  Payne's  "European  Colonies;"  Doyle's 
"  United  States"  (in  Freeman's  Historical  Course);  Hart's  "  Formation  of  the  Union  ;" 
Irving's  "  Life  of  Washington  ;"  Lossing's  "  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution,"  and  Lud- 
low's  "War  of  American  Independence."  The  student  of  literature  as  well  as  of  his 
tory  will  not  fail  to  be  attracted  by  Longfellow's  spirited  poem,  "  Paul  Revere's  Ride," 
in  reading  of  that  patriotic  episode.] 

IHE  air  of   Boston  was  full  of  defiance.     The  first 
sparks  of  the  mighty  conflagration  were  aglow  and 
needed  but  to  be  fanned  by  some  slight  incident  to 
burst  into  a  flame  that  would  spread  like  a  prairie 
fire.      Gage  *  had  about   four  thousand  well-disci 
plined  soldiers  in  the  town  and  was  anxious  to  crush 
the  rebellion  before  it  broke  into  open  action ;  but 
he  hesitated  as  to  the  best  course  to  take.     Soon, 
however,  he  formed  a  plan.     John  Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams  were 
the  leaders  who  were  fearless  in  their  utterances  and  who  had  roused 


*  General  Thomas  Gage  [1721-1787]  served,  in  1755,  under  Braddock  in  his  ill-fated 
expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne.     Five  years  later,  he  was  appointed  Governor  of 


CHAP.  XXX 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


421 


the  Americans  by  their  patriotic  appeals.  Their  voices  rang  out  like 
trumpet-blasts,  and  Gage  believed  that  if  they  could  be  quieted,  the 
rising  storm  would  subside.  He  determined  to  arrest  both  and  send 
them  to  England  for  trial,  on  the  charge  of  treason.  Whether  hanged 
or  not,  they  would  be  beyond  the  possibility  of  doing  the  infinite  harm 
they  were  now  causing  to  the  crown.  Gage  had  learned,  too,  that 
the  patriots  were  collecting  powder  and  ball  at  Concord  and  other 
places,  .so  an  opportunity  was  presented  for  "  killing  two  birds  with 
one  stone :"  he  would  arrest  Hancock  and  Adams  and  seize  the  mu 
nitions  of  war  at  the  same  time.  He  fixed  upon  the  night  of  April 
1 8th  for  striking  these  blows. 

To  insure  success,  it  was  necessary  that  his  scheme  should  be 
kept  secret,  but  it  leaked  out  in  a  singular  way.  A  letter  to  London 
was  intercepted,  in  which  the  whole  thing  was  revealed.  Adams  and 
Hancock  were  attending  the  Lexington  Provincial  Congress,  when 
they  received  warning  of  their  personal  peril.  Congress  adjourned 
on  the  1 5th  of  April,  and  Adams  and  Hancock  lingered  behind  at 
the  house  of  their  friend,  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke,  their  watchful  followers 
promising  to  give  them  due  notice  of  the  approach  of  danger.  At 
the  same  time,  the  "  minute-men" *  were  on  the  alert,  ready  to  fly  to 
arms  the  moment  the  English  troops  set  out  from  Boston,  while 
wagons  were  waiting  to  remove  the  ammunition  to  a  place  of  safety. 

Lexington,  where  Adams  and  Hancock  were  awaiting  events,  was 
ten  miles  from  Boston,  and  Gage  was  more  anxious  to  secure  the 
two  than  he  was  to  destroy  the  military  supplies.  He  arranged  to 
send  out  his  troops  secretly  late  at  night,  march  them  hastily  to  Lex 
ington,  and  arrest  the  patriots  while  in  bed.  That  done,  the  troops 
would  hurry  to  Concord,  six  miles  further,  destroy  the  cannon  and 
stores  and  then  return  to  Boston,  before  the  "rebels"  could  rally  and 
offer  serious  resistance.  It  was  a  well-formed  scheme  and  might 
have  worked  perfectly  had  not  the  patriots  learned  everything  before 
the  first  step  was  taken.  Gage  had  posted  officers  at  all  the  roads 

Montreal,  and  on  the  departure  of  General  Sir  Jeffery  Amherst  from  Canada  succeeded 
him  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  America.  In  1774,  he  was  appointed 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  and  became  the  last  crown  governor  of  that  colony.  His 
stern  character  and  impolitic  bearing  hastened  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
and  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  he  was  recalled  to  England.  Sir  William  Howe  re 
lieved  him  of  his  command. 

*  Bands  of  enrolled  patriots,  who  had  pledged  themselves  to  respond  at  a  minute's 
notice  to  a  call  for  their  services.  Hence  they  were  called  "  minute-men." 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


General 
Gage 


Design 
to  Cap 
ture 
Adams 
and  Han 
cock 


422  HISTORY   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 

PERIOD  in  leading  out  of  Boston,  to  prevent  persons  leaving  and  alarming  the 

ANDFR!N?E  minute-men.     These  guards  sauntered  to  their  stations  at  different 

AMERICA    times,  so  as  to  divert  suspicion,  but  their  real  purpose  was  suspected, 

T758       and  a  squad  of  minute-men  guarded  the  house  in  Lexington  where 

*78_3       Adams  and  Hancock  were  lodging.    Nothing  was  done  by  Gage  that 

evening ;  but,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  1 8th  of  April,  the  movement  of 

the  troops  left  no  doubt  that  the  crisis  was  at  hand.     Everybody  was 

on  the  watch,  and  the  excitement  was  intense. 

oflthe1         ^  was  ak°ut  ten  o'clock  that  evening  that  eight  hundred  troops 

British  marched  as  silently  as  shadows  to  the  foot  of  the  Common,  where 
they  entered  boats  and  passed  over  to  Cambridge.  They  were  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith  and  Major  Pitcairn.  Up 
to  this  time  Gage  was  confident  that  his  purpose  was  unsuspected ; 
but  a  remark  by  one  of  the  Americans  watching  the  movements  of 
the  soldiers  showed  that  it  was  known  that  they  were  on  their  way 
to  Concord.  Gage  instantly  issued  orders  that  no  person  should  be 
allowed  to  leave  Boston  that  night. 

The  order  was  just  too  late.  William  Dawes  had  ridden  at  full 
speed  over  the  Neck  on  his  way  to  warn  Hancock  and  Adams,  and 
Dr.  Warren  and  Paul  Revere  were  at  Charlestown  awaiting  events. 
The  two  men  hardly  removed  their  eyes  from  the  belfry  of  the  old 
North  Church,  looming  up  in  the  dim  moonlight  like  some  grim  sen 
tinel.  They  were  expecting  a  signal  to  be  displayed  there,  and  were 
not  disappointed. 

Paul  Re-  -pne  nignt  was  weu  advanced  when  two  starlike  points  of  light 
Ride  gleamed  from  the  belfry.  They  were  made  by  a  couple  of  lanterns 
which  the  sexton  suspended,  as  he  had  agreed  to  do,  in  case  the 
British  soldiers  left  the  town  by  water,  while  a  single  lantern  was  to 
be  the  signal  if  they  marched  by  land.  Revere  leaped  at  once  into 
the  saddle  of  his  swift  horse  and  dashed  across  Charlestown  Neck. 
Two  British  soldiers  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs  and  saw  the  horseman 
coming  straight  towards  them  on  a  dead  run.  They  stepped  out  into 
the  highway  to  check  him,  and  he  wheeled,  dashed  back  towards 
Charlestown,  turned  into  the  Medford  road,  and  sped  out  into  the 
country  with  arrowy  swiftness.  It  was  about  midnight  when  he  drew 
rein  in  front  of  Mr.  Clarke's  house  at  Lexington,  where  a  number  of 
guards  were  on  watch. 

"Where  is  Mr.  Hancock?"  asked  Revere;  "I  must  see  him  at 
once." 


COPYRIGHT    1896, 


CHAP,  xxx  EVENTS    OF    1775  423 

"The  family  have  retired,"  replied  the  sergeant,  "and  I  have  been    PERIOD m 
ordered  to  prevent  their  disturbance."  ENGLAND 

*  AND  FRANCS 

"They  will  soon  be  disturbed,  for  'the  regulars'  are  on  their  way     AM™ICA 
to  Lexington,"  was  the  startling  reply  of  Revere,  as  he  dismounted       J758 
and  knocked  at  the  door.     Mr.  Clarke  raised  an  upper  window  and       *783 
looked  out. 

"Who's  there,  and  what  is  wanted?"   he  asked. 

"  I  wish  to  see  Mr:  Hancock  at  once." 

"  It  is  so  late  that  I  do  not  care  to  admit  strangers,"  said  Mr.  Clarke. 
Hancock  in  an  adjoining  room  was  awake,  and  recognized  Re- 
vere's  voice.  He  called  to  him  from  the  window  to  enter,  and  the 
messenger  was  quickly  admitted  and  his  alarming  story  told.  While 
they  were  discussing  the  matter,  Dawes,  the  other  horseman,  who 
had  come  by  another  route,  arrived,  and  he  also  entered  the  house, 
where  the  whole  family  were  astir.  Refreshments  were  set  out  for 
the  messengers,  who,  bidding  the  folks  good-by,  remounted  their 
horses  and  galloped  towards  Concord,  rousing  the  people  as  they 
passed  over  the  road. 

While  thus  engaged,  the  clatter  of  hoofs  was  heard  behind  them,  The 
and,  looking  back,  they  saw  a  horseman  approaching.  He  proved  to  warned 
be  Dr.  Samuel  Prescott,  who  had  been  spending  the  evening  with  a 
young  lady  in  Lexington.  He  was  as  an  equally  ardent  patriot,  and 
readily  joined  them  in  their  work  of  rousing  the  people  between  the 
two  towns.  Revere  was  riding  in  advance,  when  suddenly  he  was 
surrounded  by  several  British  officers,  who  made  him  and  Dawes 
prisoners.  They  attempted  to  take  Prescott  also,  but  he  was  well 
mounted,  and  wheeling  his  horse  leaped  him  over  a  stone  wall  and 
escaped.  Speeding  straight  away  for  Concord,  he  reached  the 
little  village  at  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at  once  spread 
the  alarm.  Meanwhile,  Revere  and  Dawes  were  sharply  questioned 
about  Adams  and  Hancock,  but  would  not  give  satisfactory  answers. 
The  indignant  captors  threatened  to  shoot  them,  and  just  then  the 
church  bells  of  Lexington  began  ringing  out  on  the  still  air.  "  That 
means  that  the  people  are  rising,"  cried  Revere,  with  well-feigned 
excitement ;  "  you  will  soon  be  surrounded — you  will  not  be  spared 
—you  will  be  killed!"  The  clamor  of  the  bells  increased,  and  the 
British  abandoned  their  prisoners  and  made  all  haste  back  to  Boston. 
Revere  and  Dawes  thereupon  resumed  their  ride  towards  Concord, 
where  they  soon  arrived. 


424 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 


Affairs 

at  Con 

cord 


Battle  of 
Lexing 
ton 


It  was  hardly  light,  when  Captain  John  Parker,  standing  in  front 
of  Lexington  meeting-house,  called  the  company  roll  and  ordered  his 
men  to  load  with  powder  and  ball.  Although  the  day  which  followed 
was  one  of  the  warmest  of  the  season,  it  was  chilly  at  that  early  hour, 
and  since  the  soldiers  were  not  within  hearing,  Captain  Parker  di 
rected  his  men  to  take  shelter  in  their  own  houses  until  the  invaders 
arrived.  Meanwhile,  Colonel  Smith,  advancing  with  his  eight  hun 
dred  troops,  saw  from  the  excitement  on  every  hand  that  the  country 
was  aroused  and  that  there  would  be  sharp  fighting  before  they  could 
complete  their  work  and  return  to  Boston.  He  sent  to  General  Gage 
for  reinforcements  and  ordered  Pitcairn  to  hurry  through  Lexington 
and  take  possession  of  the  bridges  at  Concord.  Before  Pitcairn  was 
in  sight  of  Lexington,  the  alarm  had  reached  there,  the  bells  were 
set  clanging  again,  and  the  minute-men,  guns  in  hand,  gathered  from 
all  quarters  to  the  village  green,  where  Captain  Parker  placed  him 
self  at  the  head  of  seventy  ardent  patriots.  Adams  and  Hancock 
were  loath  to  leave  the  house  of  Mr.  Clarke,  but  suffered  themselves 
to  be  persuaded  to  do  so,  and  took  refuge  in  more  obscure  quarters. 
It  was  just  beginning  to  grow  light  when  the  British  regulars,  in 
their  brilliant  red  coats  were  seen  approaching.  They  marched 
towards  the  minute-men  on  the  common,  and  halting  in  front  of  them, 
loaded  their  muskets. 

Each  side  was  determined  that  the  other  should  fire  first,  for  this 
was  deemed  all  important  in  fixing  the  responsibility  for  the  conse 
quences.  The  patriots  had  been  ordered  not  to  discharge  a  gun  until 
attacked,  while  Pitcairn  was  equally  resolved  that  his  men  should  not 
fire  until  compelled  to  do  so  in  self-defence.  Pitcairn  and  his  officers 
rode  towards  the  minute-men,  the  troops  following  on  the  "  double 
quick."  The  commander  swung  his  sword  above  his  head  and 
shouted : 

"  Disperse,  you  scoundrels !  Lay  down  your  arms !  I  command 
you  to  disperse!" 

"This  is  our  own  land,"  was  the  reply;  "  we  have  a  right  here, 
and  we'll  not  disperse." 

"  Surround  the  rascals !"  commanded  Pitcairn,  and  his  soldiers  set 
out  to  do  as  they  were  ordered.  There  was  much  confusion  at  this 
moment,  and  several  shots  were  fired,  but  it  will  never  be  known 
with  certainty  whether  the  first  overt  act  originated  with  the  patriots 
or  with  the  invaders.  Pitcairn  always  insisted  that  the  Americans 


CHAP.   XXX 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


425 


fired  first.      He  was  so  well  known  for  his  truthfulness  that  many  of    PERIOD  in 
the  disputants   asserted   that,  if   he   would   say   this   upon   his   own     ENp^A^D 
knowledge,  they  would  accept  it  as  a  fact.      Pitcairn,  however,  would 
not  do  this,  for  he  admitted  that  he  did  not  see  the  first  shot  fired, 
but  at  the  opening  of  the  fight,  his  horse  was  wounded,  and  he  was 
positive  that  it  was  done  by  a  bullet  intended  for  him.     His  own 
soldiers  were  as  excited  as  the  patriots,  and  several  fired  before  the 


DISPERSE,   YOU  SCOUNDRELS  1" 


order  was  given.     It  is  more  than  likely  that  it  was  these  shots  that 
caused  the  Americans  to  attack  their  enemies. 

Pitcairn  was  a  man  of  quick  temper,  and,  drawing  his  pistol,  he 
discharged  it  at  the  Americans  and  shouted  to  his  men  to  "  fire !" 
Instantly  a  sheet  of  flame  burst  from  the  front  platoon,  and  several 
patriots  dropped  to  the  ground.  The  shrill  notes  of  a  fife  penetrated 
the  air,  while  the  young  drummer  began  furiously  beating  his  drum. 
There  was  no  longer  any  restraint  on  the  part  of  the  patriots.  The 
volley  had  been  fired  that  "was  heard  round  the  world,"  and  the 
Americans  returned  it,  but  as  yet  without  fatal  effect.  Captain 


NCE 
IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 
1783 


The 
"Shot 
Heard 
Round 

the 
World" 


426  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 

PERIOD  in   Parker,  seeing  his  men  about  to  be  surrounded,  shouted  at  them  to 
ENGLAND     disperse,  and  they  obeyed.     They  scattered  behind  stone  walls  and 

AND  FRANCE  J  J  J 

AMERICA     buildings,  and  began  a  fusillade  upon  the   invaders.     Eight  of  the 

J758       patriots  were  killed  and  ten  wounded  during  the  firing,  while  three 

1783       of  the  British. were  wounded,  besides  Pitcairn's  horse.     The  British 

drew  up  in  line  on  the  common,  fired  a  salute,  cheered,  and  then 

continued  their  march  towards  Concord.      When  the  first  volley  rang 

out  on  the  morning  air,  Samuel   Adams,  a  short  distance  away,  ex- 

G1    .         claimed  :  "  What  a  glorious  morning  for  America  is  this  !"      Not  he 

Morn-     alone,  but  others,  piercing  the  future,  saw  the  momentous  meaning 

of  the  great  drama  that  had  opened,  and  which  was  not  to  close  until 

the  sun  of  American  liberty  should  rise,  never  to  set  again  over  this 

broad  land. 

The  news  had  reached  Concord  hours  before,  where  the  excitement 
was  fully  as  intense  as  at  Lexington.  Men  and  boys  rushed  from 
their  houses,  some  of  them  loading  their  muskets  as  they  ran ;  wives 
helped  their  husbands  in  their  hasty  preparations,  and,  pausing  only 
long  enough  to  kiss  the  dear  ones  good-by,  the  fathers  and  sons 
dashed  out  of  the  doors,  crowding  one  another  in  their  eagerness  to 
reach  the  point  of  danger.  The  first  man  who  appeared,  gun  in 
hand,  was  the  Rev.  William  Emerson,  but  others  of  the  patriots  were 
only  a  few  minutes  behind  him. 

While  preparations  were  made  to  repel  the  invaders,  others 
.  hastened  to  remove  the  cannon  and  ammunition  to  a  place  of 
safety.  Minute-men  flocked  in  from  the  surrounding  country  and 
were  drawn  up  on  the  Common,  under  the  command  of  Col. 
Gather-  James  Barrett,  a  veteran  of  the  French  and  Indian  War.  All  the 
Militia  bridges  spanning  the  sluggish  Concord  were  guarded.  This  was 
hardly  done,  when  messengers  came  running  towards  the  Common, 
with  tidings  that  the  regulars,  to  more  than  double  the  numbers  of 
the  minute-men,  would  soon  be  in  sight.  Colonel  Barrett  fell  back 
towards  a  hill  in  the  farther  part  of  the  village,  and  there  formed  his 
men  into  two  battalions.  Then  a  consultation  was  held.  Some 
wished  to  fight,  but  the  cooler-headed  saw  that  such  a  conflict  meant 
the  massacre  of  all  the  patriots ;  so  it  was  decided  to  post  themselves 
beyond  North  Bridge,  a  mile  distant  from  the  Common.  It  was 
known  that  the  militia  were  hurrying  in  from  all  directions  and  there 
would  soon  be  a  force  gathered  strong  enough  to  offer  hopeful  resist 
ance  to  the  invaders. 


CHAP.   XXX 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


427 


One  division  of  the  British  entered  Concord  by  the  main  road 
and  the  other  over  the  highway  from  which  the  Americans  had  with 
drawn.  Troops  were  sent  to  secure  the  bridges,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
militia  from  crossing  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to  find  the  secreted 
ammunition.  Tories  told  the  soldiers  where  these  had  been  hidden, 
and  a  large  quantity  was  found  and  destroyed.  Meanwhile,  swift 
horsemen  had  carried  the  news  through  the  surrounding  country,  and 
the  minute-men  flocked  towards  Concord,  to  the  number  of  several 
hundreds.  Colonel  Barrett  placed  them  under  the  immediate  com 
mand  of  Major  Buttrick,  and  ordered  him  to  march  to  the  North 
Bridge  to  drive  away  the  British.  As  Buttrick  drew  near,  he  saw  the 
enemy  engaged  in  destroying  the  bridge.  They  fired  upon  the  pa 
triots,  killing  a  couple  of  men,  one  of  whom  was  Captain  Isaac  Davis, 
of  Acton.  Buttrick  now  shouted  to  his  company  to  fire,  and  three  of 
the  British  were  killed  and  several  wounded.  After  a  few  scattering 
shots,  the  invaders  retreated,  and  the  minute-men  took  possession  of 
the  bridge.  By  this  time,  Colonel  Smith  saw  that  the  country  was 
aroused,  and  that  to  delay  longer  would  bring  destruction.  Accord 
ingly,  the  eight  hundred  began  retreating  in  the  direction  of  Lexing 
ton.  Then  it  was  as  if  minute-men  sprang  from  the  ground  by 
magic.  There  seemed  no  spot  where  they  did  not  appear.  Over 
stone  walls,  from  behind  barns  and  houses,  from  bushes,  trees, 
fences,  and  every  object  that  afforded  the  least  shelter,  and  from  the 
open  fields  and  highways  came  the  jets  of  flame  and  the  flash  of  the 
deadly  rifles,  while  the  red-coated  soldiers  toppled  over  like  ten-pins. 

It  was  a  fearful  retreat  for  the  British.  The  weather  was  as  sultry 
as  if  it  were  midsummer,  and  the  dust  was  suffocating.  The  fleeing 
soldiers  were  worn  to  the  last  stage  of  exhaustion.  Scores  dropped 
panting  by  the  roadside,  and  were  made  prisoners,  while  wagons  were 
filled  with  the  killed  and  wounded.  The  time  came  when  the  troops 
would  have  been  forced  to  surrender  to  the  patriots,  but  for  the  arrival 
of  Lord  Percy,  with  reinforcements,  a  thousand  strong.  These  came 
in  response  to  the  request  of  Smith,  sent  early  in  the  morning,  and 
they  immediately  opened  fire  upon  the  militia  with  cannon.  Then  a 
hollow  square  was  formed,  into  which  the  exhausted  fugitives  tottered 
and  for  the  time  were  safe.  A  brief  halt  was  made,  in  order  to  give 
the  soldiers  a  little  rest,  after  which  the  retreat  to  Boston  was  re 
sumed.  The  Americans  harassed  them  all  the  way,  and  there  was 
considerable  hard  fighting  and  skirmishing  at  different  points.  At 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1733 


Retreat 
of  the 
British 


428  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 

PERIOD  in  Charlestown,  the  soldiers  were  under  the  protection  of  the  guns  of 
AND FRANCE  ^Qir  f  Agates,  and  there  the  pursuit  ended.     On  that  eventful  day  for 

AMERICA    America,  the  patriots  lost  one  hundred  and  three  killed  and  wounded, 
J758       and  the  British  two  hundred  and  seventy-three. 

1783  The  news  of  the  opening  of  the  Revolution  was  carried  as  swiftly 

as  the  fleetest  horses  could  bear  their  riders  to  the  other  colonies. 

Patriot-  The  response  everywhere  was  the  same — a  universal,  heroic  outburst 

Etee-      °f  patriotism,  and  the  resolution  to  sustain  Massachusetts  at  all  haz- 

where  arc[s  in  the  struggle  that  had  opened.  It  was  'determined  to  send 
enough  soldiers  to  Boston  to  hold  the  British  within  the  peninsula. 
The  assembly  of  Connecticut  sent  six  thousand  men,  commanded  by 
Spencer  and  Putnam ;  New  Hampshire  two  thousand,  led  by  Folsom 
and  Stark;  and  Rhode  Island,  fifteen  hundred,  under  Nathaniel 
Greene,  who  proved  himself  second  only  to  Washington  in  skill  and 
ability. 

Far  to  the  southward,  Virginia  was  aflame  with  patriotic  excite 
ment.  A  convention  of  representatives  met  in  Richmond  in  March, 
and,  after  indorsing  the  action  of  their  representatives  in  the  Conti 
nental  Congress,  declared  that  they  would  stand  immovable  in  the 
defence  of  their  liberties,  though  they  expressed  the  hope  of  a  speedy 
reconciliation.  At  this  juncture  Patrick  Henry,  one  of  the  mem 
bers,  could  restrain  himself  no  longer.  None  understood  more  clearly 
than  he  the  folly  of  hoping  for  reconciliation.  America  had  com 
mitted  herself  to  the  struggle  for  independence,  and  to  turn  back  or 
hesitate  meant  subjection  and  humiliation.  He  denounced  the  delu 
sive  hope,  and  asked  for  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  see  that 
the  province  was  placed  in  a  proper  condition  of  defence.  His  mo 
tion  was  however  opposed  by  other  patriots,  who  still  clung  to  the 
hope  of  reunion,  and  expressed  the  belief  that  the  colonies  were  too 
weak  to  cope  with  so  mighty  a  power  as  Great  Britain. 

Patrick        Henry's  eyes  flashed  fire  as  he  heard  this  timid  counsel,  and  he 
Eloquent  bounded  to  his  feet  and  exclaimed :     "  What  has  there  been  in  the 

Appeal  conduct  of  the  British  ministry  for  the  last  ten  years  to  justify  hope? 
Are  fleets  and  armies  necessary  to  a  work  of  love  and  reconciliation? 
Have  we  shown  ourselves  so  unwilling  to  be  reconciled  that  force 
must  be  called  in  to  win  us  back  to  our  love  ?  Let  us  not  deceive 
ourselves,  sir.  These  are  the  implements  of  war  and  subjugation  ;  the 
last  arguments  to  which  kings  resort.  I  ask,  gentlemen,  what  means 
this  martial  array  if  its  purpose  be  not  to  force  us  to  submission  ? 


COPYRIGHT     1896. 


FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY    H.    A.    OGDEh 

THE  BRITISH   RETREAT  TO  BOSTON 


430 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 


PERIOD  in  Has  Great  Britain  any  enemy  in  this  quarter  of  the  world,  to  call  for 
^  ^s  accumulation  of  armies  and  navies?  No,  sir;  she  has  none. 
They  are  meant  for  us ;  they  can  be  meant  for  no  other.  They  are 
sent  over  to  bind  and  rivet  upon  us  the  chains  which  the  British 
ministry  have  been  so  long  forging.  And  what  have  we  to  oppose 
them  ?  Shall  we  try  argument  ?  Sir,  we  have  been  trying  argument 
for  the  last  ten  years ;  have  we  anything  new  to  offer  ?  Shall  we 


IN 

AMERICA 

I75S 

TO 

1783 


GIVE  ME  LIBERTY  OR  GIVE  ME  DEATH  I  " 

resort  to  treaty  and  supplication?  We  have  petitioned;  we  have 
supplicated;  we  have  prostrated  ourselves  before  the  throne,  and 
have  implored  its  interposition  to  arrest  the  tyrannical  hands  of  the 
ministry  and  parliament.  Our  petitions  have  been  slighted;  our 
remonstrances  have  produced  additional  violence  and  insult ;  our 
supplications  have  been  disregarded;  we  have  been  spurned  with 
contempt  from  the  foot  of  the  throne.  In  vain,  after  these  things, 
may  we  indulge  the  fond  hope  of  reconciliation.  There  is  no  longer 
any  room  for  hope  ! 


CHAP,  xxx 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


431 


AM™ICA 


1783 


"  If  we  wish  to  be  free  ;  if  we  wish  to  preserve  inviolate  those  PERIOD  in 
inestimable  privileges  for  which  we  have  been  so  long  contending; 
if  we  mean  not  basely  to.  abandon  the  struggle,  in  which  we  have 
been  so  long  engaged,  and  which  we  have  pledged  ourselves  never  to 
abandon  until  the  glorious  object  of  our  contest  shall  be  obtained, 
we  must  fight  !  I  repeat  it,  sir  ;  we  must  fight  !  An  appeal  to  arms 
and  to  the  God  of  hosts  is  all  that  is  left  us  !  They  tell  us,  sir,  that 
we  are  weak  —  unable  to  cope  with  so  formidable  an  enemy.  But 
when  shall  we  be  stronger  ?  Will  it  be  next  week  or  next  year  ? 
Will  it  be  when  we  are  totally  disarmed  and  when  a  British  guard  is 
stationed  in  every  house  ?  Shall  we  gather  strength  by  irresolution 
and  inaction?  Shall  we  acquire  the  means  of  effectual  resistance 
by  lying  supinely  on  our  backs  and  hugging  the  delusive  phantom  of 
hope,  until  our  enemies  shall  have  bound  us  hand  and  foot  ?  Sir, 
we  are  not  weak,  if  we  make  a  proper  use  of  those  means  which  the 
God  of  nature  hath  placed  in  our  power.  Three  millions  of  people, 
armed  in  the  holy  cause  of  liberty,  and  in  such  a  country  as  that 
which  we  possess,  are  invincible  to  any  power  which  our  enemy  can 
send  against  us.  Besides,  sir,  we  shall  not  fight  our  battles  alone. 
There  is  a  great  God  who  presides  over  the  destinies  of  nations  and 
who  will  raise  up  friends  to  fight  our  battles  for  us.  The  battle,  sir, 
is  not  to  the  strong  alone  ;  it  is  to  the  vigilant,  the  active,  the  brave. 
And  again,  we  have  no  election.  If  we  were  base  enough  to  desire 
it,  it  is  now  too  late  to  retire  from  the  contest.  There  is  no  retreat 
but  in  submission  and  slavery  !  Our  chains  are  forged  !  Their 
clanking  may  be  heard  on  the  plains  of  Boston  !  The  war  is  inevit 
able  !  And  let  it  come  !  I  repeat  it,  sir,  let  it  come!  It  is  vain, 
sir,  to  extenuate  the  matter.  Gentlemen  may  cry  'Peace,  peace!' 
but  there  is  no  peace  !  The  war  has  actually  begun  !  The  next  gale 
that  sweeps  from  the  North  will  bring  to  our  ears  the  clash  of  re 
sounding  arms  !  Our  brethren  are  already  in  the  field.  Why  stand 
we  here  idle  ?  What  is  it  the  gentlemen  wish  ?  What  would  they 
have  ?  Is  life  so  dear  or  peace  so  sweet  as  to  be  purchased  at  the 
price  of  chains  and  slavery  ?  Forbid  it,  Almighty  God  !  I  know  not 
what  course  others  may  take,  but  as  for  me,  GIVE  ME  LIBERTY,  OR 

GIVE  ME  DEATH  !" 

This  thrilling  outburst  was  irresistible.  No  wonder  that  the 
hesitating  convention  adopted  the  resolution  by  an  almost  unanimous 
vote.  Patrick  Henry,  George  Washington,  Richard  Henry  Lee, 


432 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxx 


PERIOD  in  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  others  were  named  the  committee  to  carry 


ENGLAND    out  the  resolution.     They  speedily  submitted  a  plan  for  the  defence 

AND  FRANCE  1-1 

IN         of  the  colony,  which  was  accepted. 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Governor  Dunmore,  of  Virginia,  was  strongly  attached  to  the 
crown  and  was  filled  with  anger  at  the  audacity  of  the  rebels.  He 
issued  proclamations  against  them  and  even  tried  to  terrify  the  peo 
ple  by  covert  threats  of  rousing  the  slaves  to  insurrection.  One 


THE  DEMAND  UPON  GOVERNOR  DUNMORE 


Gov. 

Dun- 
more's 
Action 


night  he  caused  the  powder  in  the  magazine  at  Williamsburg  to  be 
removed  secretly  to  a  vessel-of-war  in  York  River.  When  this  be 
came  known,  the  people  were  so  indignant  that  it  was  hard  to  restrain 
them  from  laying  violent  hands  on  him.  Patrick  Henry  headed  a 
delegation  to  demand  of  him  an  explanation  of  his  action.  The  gov 
ernor  quieted  the  discontent  by  paying  the  full  value  of  the  ammu 
nition,  and  Henry  returned  to  his  home.  Governor  Dunmore's  next 
step  was  to  call  the  House  of  Burgesses  together,  to  consider  a  con 
ciliatory  proposition  from  the  British  ministry.  The  Burgesses 


CHAP,  xxx  EVENTS    OF    1775  433 

promptly  rejected  it,  and  the  governor   resorted  to  proclamations    PERIOD  in 
again.     He  declared  that  if  the  rebels  did  not  obey  the  laws,  he     ENGLAND 

*  AND  FRANCE 

would  free  the  slaves  and  arm  them  against  their  masters  ;  he  sur-  AM^ICA 
rounded  his  house  with  cannon  and  made  preparations  to  blow  up 
the  magazine,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst.  The  indignation  of 
the  people  became  so  threatening  that  soon  the  governor  took  refuge, 
with  his  family,  on  board  a  British  man-of-war,  being  the  first  royal 
governor  to  abdicate  his  office  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution. 
Others,  however,  quickly  imitated  him,  so  that  before  the  end  of  the 
year  all  royal  rule  had  ceased  in  America. 

It  will  of  course  be  remembered  that  the  stirring  times  of  which 
we  were  speaking  were  long  before  the  magnetic  telegraph  was  dis 
covered.  It  took  four  days  for  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington 
to  reach  New  York.  Although  the  day  was  Sunday,  the  Sons  of 
Liberty  did  not  hesitate  to  show  their  sentiments  by  open  acts. 
They  stopped  all  vessels  in  the  harbor  that  were  about  to  sail  for 
Boston  with  supplies  for  the  British  troops,  landed  a  cargo  in  defi 
ance  of  the  royal  collector,  and  closed  the  custom-house. 

In  the  month  of  May,  the  towns  in  Mecklenburg  County,  North       The 
Carolina,  sent  representatives  to  Charlotte,  who  by  resolution  de- 


clared  themselves  no  longer  subjects  of  the  British  crown.  They  Declara- 
agreed  upon  a  declaration  of  independence,  so  similar  in  spirit  and  inde- 
in  some  portions  in  wording,  to  the  immortal  Declaration  of  July  4th, 
1776,  that  much  speculation  and  discussion  have  been  the  result, 
without  the  matter  ever  having  been  set  at  rest.  Patriots  by  the 
hundred  continued  to  gather  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  their  deter 
mination  being  to  confine  the  invaders  to  the  peninsula,  or  drive 
them  on  board  of  their  vessels.  By  the  2Oth  of  April,  General 
Artemas  Ward,  having  been  appointed  by  the  Provincial  Congress  of 
Massachusetts,  assumed  command  of  the  American  levies,  who  now 
numbered  several  thousands,  all  filled  with  an  ardent  patriotism. 


•ftloutit  Vertiou, 


CHAPTER     XXXI 


EVENTS   OF  7775  (CONCLUDED}— BUNKER   HILL,  ETC. 

[Authorities:  Though  hostilities,  as  we  have  seen,  had  begun  on  both  sides  without 
any  deliberate  purpose,  the  colonies  finally  took  steps  to  act  in  concert  against  the 
mother  country  and  to  give  legal  effect  to  the  measures  to  which  they  were  now  com 
pelled  unitedly  to  resort.  In  May,  1775,  was  held  the  "  Congress  of  the  United 
Colonies,"  which  authorized  the  raising  of  a  Continental  army  (at  whose  head  it  placed 
General  Washington),  organized  executive  committees  to  prosecute  the  war,  sent  re 
monstrances  to  England,  opened  diplomatic  relations  with  France,  created  the  nucleus  of 
a  navy,  established  a  maritime  court,  and  gave  a  basis  of  national  authority  to  the 
financial  measures  of  the  Philadelphia  Congress.  The  earliest  overt  act  of  the  execu 
tives  of  the  young  nation,  after  the  engagement  at  Lexington,  was  to  make  a  demonstra 
tion  against  the  enleaguered  British  troops  at  Boston  and  to  fortify  Breed's  Hill,  the 
immediate  issue  of  which  was  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  The  authorities  for  the  period, 
besides  those  cited  at  the  head  of  the  previous  chapter,  and  the  journals  of  Congress, 
are  Niles'  "  Principles  and  Acts  of  the  Revolution;  "  Lodge's  "  Washington"  (American 
Statesmen  Series);  Greene's  "  Historical  View  of  the  American  Revolution;"  Winsor's 
"  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America;  "  and  Goodloe's  * '  Birth  of  the  Republic. "] 

[HE  fortresses  of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  as 
the  reader  will  have  seen,  were  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  the  former  being  one  of  the  most  valuable 
in  the  possession  of  Great  Britain.  It  contained 
one  hundred  and  twenty  cannon,  a  large  amount 
of  military  stores,  and  cost  Great  Britain  several 
million  dollars.  The  location  of  the  two  and  the 
rumors  which  reached  the  ears  of  the  patriots  en 
gendered  the  belief  that  the  British  ministry  had  formed  a  plan  for 
cutting  off  New  England  from  the  rest  of  the  colonies.  When  the 
war  had  been  opened  at  Lexington,  the  Americans  decided  to  capture 
both  fortresses.  The  governor  of  Connecticut  set  aside  a  sum  of 


THIS  BILL  inode*  (he  Bearer  to  receive  FIVE 
Spanilh  milled  DoHwt,  or  -tbe  Value  thertof  ia?" 
Gold -or  Silver,  (grwable  to  an  A3  of  AAobte1  *•  - 
Itrfed  n  H^f»«*  the  Ith  JWy  cf  Auguft  1^1.7  »- 


FLAG5.UN1  FORMS, CURRENCY  &  ARMS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 


CHAP,  xxxi 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


435 


I783 


money  for  that  purpose,  and  to  effect  it  he  consulted  with  the  leading    PERIOD  in 
patriots,  John   Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams.     The  enterprise  was 
committed  to  the  care  of  the  brave  Col.   Ethan  Allen,  of  Vermont, 
and  his  "  Green  Mountain  Boys." 

Benedict  Arnold  proposed  to  the  Provincial  Congress  at  Cam- 
bridge  to  capture  the  two  posts,  and  was  commissioned  colonel,  with 
power  to  raise  and  lead  four  hundred  men  against  the  strongholds. 
He  pushed  on  and  joined  Allen  at  Castleton,  Vermont,  and  though 
he  had  but  a  single  man  with  him,  claimed  the  right  to  lead  the 
expedition,  by  virtue  of  his  commission  as  colonel.  The  militiamen, 
however,  elected  Allen,  and  Arnold  agreed  to  ride  by  his  side  as  a 
volunteer.  The  expedition  reached  Shoreham,  opposite  Ticonderoga, 
at  dusk  on  the  Qth  of  May.  They  were  disappointed  at  finding  only 
a  few  boats  in  which  to  cross  the  lake,  but  eighty-three  men,  includ 
ing  Allen  and  Arnold,  crossed,  and  the  craft  was  sent  back  for  the 
remainder.  The  nights  were  short,  and  it  then  became  apparent 
that  before  the  boats  could  return  daylight  would  be  upon  them. 
It  was  necessary  that  the  fort  should  be  surprised  ;  therefore  it  would 
not  do  to  wait  any  longer.  Allen  explained  the  situation  to  his  men, 
and  told  them  that  all  who  desired  to  withdraw  from  the  project 
were  at  liberty  to  do  so.  Every  one  expressed  his  wish  to  follow 
his  intrepid  leader. 

A  boy  named  Nathan  Beaman,  who  was  familiar  with  the  place,  Capture 
led  Allen  and  his  volunteers  up  the  bank  to  the  sally-port.  The  °fa£0£~ 
startled  sentry,  when  the  heads  and  shoulders  of  the  men  rose  to 
view  like  so  many  spectres,  snapped  his  gun  and  dashed  into  the  for- 
tress,  with  the  Americans  at  his  heels.  Entering  the  parade-ground, 
the  patriots,  with  a  cheer,  ranged  themselves  facing  each  other  against 
opposite  walls.  The  frightened  garrison  came  rushing  to  the  parade, 
and  the  minute  they  appeared  were  made  prisoners.  Allen  was  an 
old  acquaintance  of  Captain  Delaplace,  the  commandant,  and  knew 
where  to  look  for  him.  He  ran  up  the  outside  steps,  leading  to  the 
door  of  the  officers'  quarters,  and  knocked  with  the  hilt  of  his  sword. 
The  captain  sprang  out  of  bed  and  opened  the  door,  his  startled  wife 
peeping  over  his  shoulder. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  hubbub  ?"  asked  the  astounded 
officer. 

"  I  order  you  to  surrender  at  once,"  was  Allen's  reply. 

"  By  whose  authority  do  you  make  the  demand  ?" 


and 
Point1 


AMERICA 
75 


436  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in  "In  the  name  of  Jehovah  and  the  Continental  Congress,"  was 
AND  FRANCE  tne  ^ero^c  response  of  Allen,  who  knew  that  that  very  day  was  the 
one  aPP°mted  for  the  convening  of  Congress  in  Philadelphia.  D'ela- 
place  would  have  parleyed,  and,  looking  at  the  grinning  boy,  said, 
1783  "  What,  Nathan,  you  here  too  !"  Allen  was  too  much  in  earnest, 
however,  to  permit  delay,  and  checked  the  commander  with  a  repeti 
tion  of  his  order  to  surrender.  The  commandant  had  no  choice  but 
to  obey,  and  thus  the  fortress,  with  its  garrison  of  fifty  men  and  its 
immensely  valuable  stores,  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans 
without  the  loss  of  a  single  life.  Two  days  later,  Crown  Point  was 
also  captured  without  bloodshed. 

^Conven-        On  the  loth  of  May,  the  second  Continental  Congress  met  first 

"second6  'm  Carpenter's  Hall,  Philadelphia,  soon  adjourning  to  Independence 

Contin-    Hall,  with  representatives   from    all    the    colonies   present,   except 

Con-      Georgia.     Her  delegates  arrived  later,   in  July.     Peyton  Randolph, 


gress  Q£  virginia^  was  made  president,  and  among  his  famous  associates 
were  Washington,  Patrick  Henry,  John  and  Samuel  Adams,  Ben 
jamin  Franklin,  and  Thomas  Jefferson.  This  Congress  held  a 
unique  position,  for  it  was  without  any  power  to  enforce  a  single 
law.  It  could  not  enlist  a  solitary  soldier  or  raise  a  penny  of  taxes. 
All  that  it  could  do  was  to  advise  the  different  colonies  as  to  their 
course  of  action. 

Although  hostilities  had  actually  begun,  there  was  a  lingering 
hope  on  the  part  of  many  of  the  members  that  England  and  her 
American  colonies  would  yet  become  reconciled.*  They,  therefore, 
hesitated  to  take  positive  action,  preferring  to  hold  open  the  door  of 
reunion.  They  could  not  wholly  throw  off  at  once  a  fondness  for 
the  mother-country,  whose  glory  had  been  theirs  so  long,  and  for 
whom  they  had  on  many  occasions  fought  and  shed  their  blood.  But 
this  sentimental  hope  quickly  vanished,  as  news  came  of  the  conflicts 


*  The  readers  of  these  pages,  who  naturally  take  the  patriotic  American  view  of  the 
quarrel  with  England,  should  take  care  to  distinguish  between  the  attitude  of  the  British 
crown  and  government  and  English  public  opinion  at  the  period.  The  colonists'  view  of 
the  troubles  was  taken  by  many  Englishmen  of  note,  among  others,  by  Lord  Chatham 
and  Edmund  Burke.  The  speeches  of  both  these  eminent  statesmen  should  be  familiar, 
at  least  to  the  historical  student,  who  wishes  to  do  justice  to  the  mother-land,  especially 
Chatham's  eloquent  protest  against  the  enforcement  of  the  Stamp  Tax,  and  Burke's  three 
great  utterances  between  the  years  1774  and  1777,  on  American  Taxation,  on  Concilia 
tion  with  America,  and  his  famous  Letter  to  the  Sheriffs  of  Bristol  on  the  Affairs  of 
America. 


CHAP.   XXXI. 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


437 


between  the  patriots  and  their  oppressors ;  of  the  stubborn  insistence  PERIOD  in 

of  King  George  that  his  American  colonies  should  be  conquered ;  of  J£f££°B 

his  refusal  to  abate  one  jot  of  his  oppressive  measures;    and  of  the  AM™ICA 

brutality  of  the  royal  governors  in  various  sections  of  the  country.  J758 

The   sentiments  of   Congress  were  crystallized  in  the  declaration :  I7§3 
"  Shall  the  descendants  of  Britons  tamely  submit  to  this  ?     No,  sirs ! 
\Ve  never  shall !   while  we  revere  the  memory  of  our  gallant  and  vir 


"l  ORDER  YOU  TO  SURRENDER  AT  ONCE!" 

tuous  ancestors ;  we  never  can  surrender  these  glorious  privileges  for 
which  they  fought,  bled  and  conquered.  Admit  that  your  fleets 
could  destroy  our  towns,  and  ravage  our  sea-coasts ;  these  are  incon 
siderable  objects,  things  of  no  moment,  to  men  whose  bosoms  glow 
with  the  ardor  of  liberty.  We  can  retire  beyond  the  reach  of  your 
navy,  and,  without  any  sensible  diminution  of  the  necessaries  of  life, 
enjoy  a  luxury  which,  from  that  period,  you  will  want — the  luxury 
of  being  free." 

Without  any  distinct  powers  being  delegated  to  Congress  by  the 


438  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP.  xxxi. 

PERIOD  in  different  colonies,  they  recognized  the  right  of  that  body  to  decide 
A?D!RAN?E  all  questions  affecting  the  welfare  of  the  country  at  large.     New 
AMERICA     York  City  had  elected  a  committee  of  one  hundred,  which  asked  Con- 
JTo8       gress  f°r  direction,  when  news  reached  New  York  that  a  British 
1783       regiment  was  on  its  way  thither  from  Ireland.     Congress  told  the 
committee  to  allow  the  troops  to  land,  and  to  live  in  barracks,  but 
The       not  to  permit  them  to  fortify  the  city.     Congress  advised  further, 
tions  of    that  General  Wooster  be  invited  to  come  from  Connecticut,  with  his 
^•ess      regimer»t,  to  aid  in  defending  the  city,  should  it  become  necessary. 
This  advice  was  followed,  and  General  Wooster   encamped  on  the 
Harlem,  and  took  active  measures  to  guard  Long  Island  against  Brit 
ish  foragers  and  cruisers. 

Some  time  after  this,  President  Randolph  was  called  to  Virginia, 
•  where  he  had  been  elected  speaker  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  and 
John  Hancock  was  chosen  to  succeed  him.     Then  Congress  addressed 
itself  to  the  still  higher  duties  which  now  confronted  it.     General 
Artemas  Ward  was  universally  respected  for  his  good  qualities,  but 
it  had  become  apparent  to  all  that  he  was  too  old  and  timid  and  too 
Arrival     deficient  in  military  genius,  to  be  the  commander  of  the  forces  that 
0CHnt<m'  were  now  concentratmg  at  Boston.     Generals  Howe,  Clinton,  and 
and  Bur-  Burgoyne  had  arrived  at  that  port,  and  it  was  evident  that  Great 
Britain  was  making  formidable  preparations  for  conquering  her  colo 
nies.     Since  the  war  had  assumed,  or  would  shortly  assume,  a  conti 
nental  character,  it  was  necessary  that  a  general-in-chief  should  be 
chosen  over  all  the  armed  forces.     As  a  first  step,  Congress  voted 
to  raise  an  army  of  twenty  thousand  men,  and  to  issue  three  million 
dollars  of  paper  money,  for  carrying  on  the  war.     Thomas  Johnson, 
of    Maryland,   at  the  suggestion  of  the  New  England  delegation, 
nominated   George    Washington  commander-in-chief   of   the  Conti 
nental  armies.*     Washington  was  so  agitated  that  he  arose  and  hur- 

*  Space  may,  pardonably,  be  taken  up  here,  to  quote  the  eulogistic  characterization 
Green,  the  English  historian,  passes  upon  Washington,  in  his  thoughtful  and  impartial 
chapter  on  "  The  Independence  of  America,"  in  his'*  History  of  the  English  People." 
"  No  nobler  figure,"  writes  the  historian,  "  ever  stood  in  the  forefront  of  a  nation's  life. 
Washington  was  grave  and  courteous  in  address  ;  his  manners  were  simple  and  unpretend 
ing  ;  his  silence  and  the  serene  calmness  of  his  temper  spoke  of  a  perfect  self-mastery. 
But  there  was  little  in  his  outer  bearing  to  reveal  the  grandeur  of  soul  which  lifts  his  figure 
with  all  the  simple  majesty  of  an  ancient  statue  out  of  the  smaller  passions,  the  meaner 
impulses,  of  the  world  around  him.  What  recommended  him  for  command  was  simply 
his  weight  among  his  fellow-landowners  in  Virginia,  and  the  experience  of  war  which  he 
had  gained  by  service  in  border  contests  with  the  French  and  the  Indians,  as  well  as 


CHAP.  XXXI, 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


439 


A 


ried  out   of  the  room.      He  PERIOD  in 

was  distrustful   of  his  own  AJDNg^T°B 
ability  and   at  first  refused     AM™ICA 
the  office,  which  was  offered        *Tfi 
unanimously.      But   having        1783 


NOMINATION  OF  WASHINGTON  AS  COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 

been  urged  upon  him,  he,  with  that  high  sense  of  duty  which  always 
guided  him  through  life,   modestly  accepted   the  appointment,  and 


Appoint 
ment  of 
Wash 
ington 
as  Com- 
mander- 
in-Chief 


in  Braddock's  luckless   expedition  against    Fort  Du  Qnesne,      It  was  only  as  the  weary 
fight  went  on  that  the  colonists  discovered,  however  slowly  and  imperfectly,  the  greatness 


440  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in   henceforward  consecrated  his  life  and  his  energies  to  the  service  of 

ENGLAND      his  COUntrV. 

LTUn    rRATJrR  J  „" 

A  few  days  later,  four  major-generals  and  eight  brigadier-gener 
als  '  were   appointed.      The    former  were :    Artemas    Ward,   Charles 
1783       Lee,  Philip  Schuyler,  and  Israel  Putnam.     The  latter  were :    Seth 
Pomeroy,   Richard  Montgomery,   David  Wooster,   William   Heath, 
The  Ma-  Joseph  Spencer,  John  Thomas,  John  Sullivan,  and  Nathaniel  Greene. 
Briga-     It  was  resolved  to  issue  a  sum  not  exceeding  $2,000,000  on  bills  of 
G^ner-    credit.      The  ru(^e  plates  were  engraved  by  Paul  Revere  and  printed 
als        on  paper  so  thick  that  the   British  called  them   "the  pasteboard 
money  of  the  rebels."     New  issues  were  added  from  time  to  time, 
so  that,  at  the  close  of  1779,  the  total  amount  in  circulation  was 
$242,000,000.     They  rapidly  depreciated,  until  before  the  close  of 
the  war,  when  they  became  practically  worthless. 

At  the  opening  of  the  summer  of  1775,  the  Continental  forces  at 
Cambridge  numbered  sixteen  thousand  New  Englanders.      General 
Ward  was  the  commander,  while  the  British  army,  continually  in 
creased  by  new  arrivals,  included  ten  thousand  well-disciplined  troops, 
under  experienced  officers.     Generals  Howe,  Clinton,  and  Burgoyne 
were  there,  all  forming  plans  for  the  overthrow  of  the  rebel  forces. 
Strength  While  they  were  scheming  and  doing  nothing,  they  awoke  to  the  fact 
Rival     that  the  American  batteries  at  Dorchester  Heights  in  the  south,  or 
Forces    Qn  Charlestown   Heights  in  the  north,  were  likely  to  make  their 
situation  soon  untenable.     They  therefore  decided   to  fortify  the 
heights  themselves,  and  thus  avert  the  peril  which  threatened  them. 
The  Provincial  Congress  had  delegated  discretionary  powers  to 
the  Committee  of  Safety,  the  members  of  which,  on  learning  of  the 
intention  of  the  enemy,  determined  to  fortify  Bunker  Hill  without 
delay.     An  order  was  issued  on  the  i6th  of  June  for  the  parade  of  a 

of  their  leader,  his  clear  judgment,  his  heroic  endurance,  his  silence  under  difficulties,  his 
calmness  in  the  hour  of  danger  or  defeat,  the  patience  with  which  he  waited,  the  quick 
ness  and  hardness  with  which  he  struck,  the  lofty  and  serene  sense  of  duty  that  never 
swerved  from  its  task  through  resentment  or  jealousy,  that  never  through  war  or  peace 
felt  the  touch  of  a  meaner  ambition,  that  knew  no  aim  save  that  of  guarding  the  freedom 
of  his  fellow-countrymen,  and  no  personal  longing  save  that  of  returning  to  his  own  fire 
side  when  their  freedom  was  secured.  It  was  almost  unconsciously  that  men  learned  to 
cling  to  Washington  with  a  trust  and  faith  such  as  few  other  men  have  won,  and  to  re 
gard  him  with  a  reverence  which  still  hushes  us  in  presence  of  his  memory.  But  even 
America  hardly  recognized  his  real  greatness  while  he  lived.  It  was  only  when  death  set 
its  seal  on  him  that  the  voice  of  those  whom  he  had  served  so  long  proclaimed  him  '  the 
man  first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.'  " 


CHAP.  XXXI 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


441 


large  force  in  camp  at  Cambridge,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  PERIOD  in. 
with  intrenching  tools.  These  men  were  placed  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  William  Prescott,  of  Pepperell,  who  received  orders  from 
General  Ward  to  proceed  to  and  fortify  Bunker  Hill  on  the  Charles- 
town  peninsula.  After  prayer  by  Dr.  Langdon,  president  of  Har- 
vard  College,  this  force,  accompanied  by  General  Putnam,  and  num- 


AM|£ICA 


1783 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM 


bering  about  thirteen  thousand  men,  at  nine  o'clock  the  same  even 
ing,  marched  over  Charlestown  Neck  and  towards  Bunker  Hill. 
They  moved  silently,  for  it  was  necessary  to  keep  their  intention 
from  the  enemy.  On  the  road  a  consultation  was  held,  and  it  was 
decided  that,  since  Breed's  Hill  was  nearer  Boston,  it  would  be 
better  to  fortify  that  first.  Thither  the  men  made  their  way  and 
at  once  began  work.  All  through  the  gloom  of  night  the  patriots 


Breed's 
Hill  For 
tified 


442 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Success 
of  the 
Ameri 
cans 


Battle  of 

Bunker 

Hill 


plied  pick  and  shovel,  and  so  near  the  ships-of-war  that,  when  the 
waning  moon  rose  at  midnight,  they  were  in  plain  sight  and  the  voices 
of  the  sentinels  were  heard  as  they  repeated  the  hourly  "All's 
well!"  At  daybreak,  on  Saturday,  the  i/th  of  June,  the  amazed 
enemy  saw  a  redoubt,  at  the  intrenchments  of  which  the  patriots 
were  still  busily  toiling.  The  ships  opened  fire  on  them,  but  they 
continued  their  labors  without  harm. 

When  General  Gage  learned  what  had  been  done,  he  called  his 
officers  together  for  council,  and  a  decision  was  at  once  reached  that 
the  Americans  must  be  instantly  dislodged.  Accordingly,  about 
twenty-five  hundred  troops,  including  infantry,  grenadiers,  and  artil 
lery,  with  twelve  pieces  of  cannon,  passed  over  the  Charles  River  in 
boats  and  landed  at  the  head  of  the  present  Chelsea  Bridge,  near  the 
eastern  extremity  of  the  Charlestown  peninsula.  When  the  British 
troops  reached  this  point,  it  was  a  little  past  noon,  and  Howe 
allowed  his  men  to  dine,  while  he  sent  to  Boston  for  reinforcements. 
Meanwhile,  Prescott,  having  completed  the  work,  and  seeing  that  he 
was  about  to  be  attacked,  asked  General  Ward  for  additional  troops, 
and,  with  some  reluctance,  Ward  sent  the  New  Hampshire  regiments 
of  Stark  and  Reed,  with  several  small  field-pieces.  A  few  other  de 
tachments  came  up,  and  with  them  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  who  had  just 
been  commissioned  major-general. 

It  seemed  as  if  all  the  people  of  Boston,  on  that  calm  summer 
afternoon,  were  crowded  on  the  roofs,  steeples  and  balconies,  breath 
lessly  watching  the  thrilling  sight.  It  was  half-past  three  o'clock, 
when  the  British  force,  now  increased  to  3,000  men,  with  Howe's 
huge  guns,  advanced  towards  the  redoubt  and  opened  fire.  The 
troops  followed  in  two  columns,  under  Howe  and  Pigot.  The  guns 
on  the  ships,  and  the  battery  on  Copp's  Hill,  joined  in  the  cannonade, 
but  produced  little  effect.  Amid  the  crash  and  roar,  the  Americans 
remained  as  silent  as  the  tomb.  "  Don't  fire  till  you  see  the  whites 
of  their  eyes,"  was  the  order  that  had  been  passed  along  the  lines. 
When  that  moment  came,  the  single  word- "FIRE!"  was  shouted, 
and  fifteen  hundred  muskets  outflamed  with  such  terrible  effect  that 
whole  platoons  were  mown  down,  as  if  by  a  herculean  scythe.  The 
shattered  army,  in  response  to  the  call  of  the  bugles,  now  retreated 
to  the  foot  of  the  hill.  There  Howe  rallied  and  re-formed  them  and 
repeated  the  attack,  receiving  the  same  crushing  repulse  as  before. 
So  many  shots  were  fired  from  the  houses  in  Charlestown,  that,  by 


COPYRIGHT   1896. 


FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  DRAWING  BY   H.   A.    OGDEN 

THE  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL 


cans 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

the  order  of  Howe,  it  was  shelled  by  the  battery  on  Copp's  Hill. 
The  town  caught  fire  and  the  thick  smoke  shrouded  Breed's  Hill,, 
until  swept  aside  by  a  strong  breeze.  Howe  with  some  difficulty 
rallied  his  men  for  a  third  attack,  and  General  Clinton  hurried  over 
from  Copp's  Hill  with  a  considerable  force  and  joined  him.  The 
British  advanced  at  quick  step,  and  under  orders  to  use  only  their 
bayonets.  These,  aided  by  the  artillery,  drove  the  patriots  from  the 
breastworks  into  the  redoubt.  A  murderous  fire  was  again  poured 
from  their  centre,  but  this  abruptly  ceased.  The  ammunition  of  the 
Americans  was  exhausted,  and  after  a  desperate  hand-to-hand  strug 
gle,  they  were  driven  out,  fleeing  towards  Charlestown  Neck,  where 
approaching  reinforcements  had  been  checked  by  the  enfilading  fire 
from  the  enemy's  vessels.  Almost  the  last  man  to  leave  the  redoubt 
was  General  Warren.  He  was  fighting  heroically,  when  an  English 
officer,  who  recognized  him,  seized  a  musket  from  a  soldier  and  shot 
him  dead.  Among  the  slain  on  the  British  side  was  Major  Pitcairn. 
The  total  loss  of  the  enemy  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  was 
ten  hundred  and  fifty-four :  that  of  the  Americans  four  hundred  and 
fifty.  The  British  occupied  the  field  until  the  next  morning,  when 
they  were  taken  over  the  water  to  Boston.  The  Americans,  after 
running  a  gauntlet  of  fire  from  the  vessels,  passed  the  night  on  Pros 
pect  Hill. 

Six  days  after  Washington's  appointment  to  the  command  of  the 
Continental  armies,  and,  without  waiting  to  visit  Mount  Vernon,  he 
set  out  to  assume  command  at  Cambridge.  His  companions  were 
Generals  Lee  and  Schuyler.  At  Trenton,  they  met  a  messenger 
riding  in  hot  haste,  with  the  news  for  Congress  of  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill.  Washington  made  particular  inquiries,  and  was  greatly 
relieved  to  learn  that  the  militia  had  fought  with  so  much  bravery. 
The  commander-in-chief  received  proper  honors  and  attention  at  New 
York  and  other  points  on  the  way,  and  arrived  at  Cambridge  on  the 
afternoon  of  July  2d.  The  next  morning,  he  appeared  with  his  suite 
under  a  large  elm-tree,  at  the  northern  end  of  Cambridge  Common, 
and,  while  the  forces  were  drawn  up  in  line,  he  stepped  forward, 
drew  his  sword,  and  assumed  formal  command  of  the  army. 

Washington  began  preparations  at  once  for  pressing  the  siege  of 
Boston.  Adjutant-General  Gates  reported  nearly  seventeen  thou 
sand  men  enrolled,  with  about  fourteen  thousand  fit  for  duty.  Soon 
afterwards,  Daniel  Morgan,  with  his  famous  riflemen  from  Maryland, 


CHAP.   XXXI 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


445 


Virginia,  and  western  Pennsylvania,  joined  the  army.  These  troops 
were  disposed  of  with  excellent  military  skill.  The  army  was 
arranged  in  three  grand  divisions,  consisting  of  two  brigades  each. 
The  right  wing,  under  General  Ward,  was  stationed  at  Roxbury ;  the 
left,  under  General  Lee,  occupie'd  Winter  and  Prospect  hills ;  while 
the  centre  was  commanded  by  General  Putnam.  Strong  lines  of 
intrenchments  connected  the  extremities  of  the  army. 


WASHINGTON   TAKING  COMMAND    OF  THE  ARMY 

The  British  intrenched  themselves  on  Bunker  Hill,  with  their 
sentries  upon  Charlestown  Neck.  A  2O-gun  ship  was  anchored  be 
tween  Boston  and  Charlestown,  and  floating  batteries  were  moored 
in  Mystic  River.  General  Howe  had  superseded  Gage,  and,  with 
most  of  his  army,  was  on  Bunker  Hill,  while  a  large  number  of  Tories 
and  a  force  of  cavalry  occupied  the  city.  Thus  matters  substantially 
remained  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  the  American  colonies  were 
fighting  the  battles  of  England,  Canada  belonged  to  Erance,  and 
several  invasions  were  made,  the  decisive  campaign  being  fought  on 
the  heights  above  Quebec.  Now  that  Canada  belonged  to  Great 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
I753 

TO 

1733 


Boston 

Be 
sieged 


446  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD^III    Britain,  the  Americans   believed  that  an  effective  blow  could  be 
AND  FR^CE  struck  by  another  invasion  of  the  country.     Indeed,  as  will  appear 
AMERICA     hereafter,  this  has  been  a  favorite  strategic  measure,  whenever  our 
J^8       country  has* been  at  war  with  Great  Britain,  though  its  results  have 
1783       not  always  been  gratifying  to  American  valor.     The  colonies  were 
hopeful  that  Canada  would  join  them  in  a  struggle  for  independence. 
Invasion  ^n  imitation  was  sent  by  Congress  across  the  border,  urging  the 
of  Cana-    people  to  make  common  cause  with  us ;  but  the  response  was  not 
encouraging,  and  Sir  Guy  Carleton,*  the  governor,  declared  martial- 
law  in  Canada,  sought  the  alliance  of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  prepared 
to  invade  New  York,  to  recover  the  lake  posts  that  had  been  seized. 
Congress,  in  June,  1775,  decided  to  undertake  the  conquest  of  Can 
ada,  which  seemed  an  easy  task,  as  it  might  have  been  had  the  in 
vasion  been  prompt ;  but  valuable  time  was  frittered  away. 

Ethan  Allen  was  urgent  for  the  movement  as  soon  as  Ticon- 
derogaf  and  Crown  PointJ  had  been  taken,  and  not  doubting  that  it 
would  be  made,  he  did  not  wait  for  formal  authority.  A  company 
of  his  Green  Mountain  Boys  captured  Skenesborough  (now  White- 


*Sir  Guy  Carleton,  afterwards  Lord  Dorchester  [1724-1808],  Governor  of  Quebec 
during  the  Montgomery-Arnold  assault  upon  it,  was  an  Irish  officer  in  the  English  army 
and  first  saw  active  service  in  the  second  siege  of  Louisbourg.  He  was  wounded  before 
Quebec  in  1759,  when  in  command  of  Wolfe's  corps  of  Grenadiers.  In  1772  he  was 
raised  to  the  rank  of  Major-general,  and  three  years  later  was  appointed  Governor  of 
Quebec.  On  the  failure  of  the  American  invasion  of  Canada,  Carleton  issued  from  it  and 
took  possession  of  Crown  Point.  After  a  lengthened  sojourn  in  England,  he  was  ap 
pointed,  in  1782,  Commander-in-chief  in  America,  as  successor  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  and 
pursued  a  conciliatory  policy  up  to  the  evacuation  of  New  York  by  the  British  troops.  In 
1786  he  was  created  Baron  Dorchester  and  reappointed  Governor  of  Quebec,  a  post  he 
held  almost  continuously  for  ten  years.  On  his  final  return  to  England,  he  was  raised  to 
the  rank  of  general,  but  lived  thenceforth  in  retirement  until  his  death  in  1808.  Carle- 
ton,  though  a  strict  disciplinarian,  as  well  as  an  able  officer,  was  a  man  of  humane  con 
duct,  as  his  kind  treatment  of  American  prisoners  during  the  Revolutionary  War  and  his 
attempts  to  check  the  excesses  of  the  Indian  auxiliaries  testify. 

f  This  historic  fort,  situated  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Champlain,  was  built 
by  the  French  in  1755  ;  in  1758,  the  English  were  repulsed  in  an  attack  on  it,  and  in  the 
following  year  it  was  abandoned  by  the  French.  In  the  present  campaign  (1775),  it  was, 
as  we  have  seen,  taken  by  American  arms,  but  two  years  later  it  was  recaptured  by  Bur- 
goyne,  dismantled  on  his  surrender,  and  in  1780  reoccupied  by  the  British.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  it  was  abandoned. 

\  This  fort,  which  came  into  the  hands  of  the  British  in  1759,  is  situated  on  the  west 
shore  of  Lake  Champlain,  about  ninety  miles  north  of  Albany.  It  lies  adjacent  to  the 
town  of  Ticonderoga,  and  is  noted  as  the  site  of  Fort  Frederic,  now  in  ruins,  erected  by 
the  French  in  1731.  With  its  slender  garrison,  it  was  taken  in  May,  1775,  as  we  have 
seen,  by  a  detachment  of  our  troops,  under  Seth  Warner,  forming  part  of  the  force  with 
which  Ethan  Allen  surprised  Fort  Ticonderoga. 


CHAP.   XXXI 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


447 


hall),  at  the  head  of  Lake  Champlain,  with  a  number  of  prisoners,  a 
schooner,  and  several  smaller  boats.  Benedict  Arnold  manned  the 
schooner,  equipped  it  with  guns  from  Ticonderoga,  and  with  the 
smaller  boats  sailed  up  the  lake  to  attack  the  fort  at  St.  John.  After 
destroying  several  vessels  and  taking  a  number  of  prisoners,  he  set 
out  to  return  to  Ticonderoga.  Meeting  Allen,  the  two  held  a  con 
sultation,  and  Allen  pushed  on  to  occupy  the  captured  fort,  but  with- 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 
1783 


CAPTURE  OF  ETHAN  ALLEN 

drew  before  the  approach  of  a  superior  force.     Then  followed  a  fatal 
delay  by  Congress  before  ordering  the  invasion  of  Canada. 

General  Schuyler  reached  Ticonderoga  on  the  i8th  of  July,  and  Affairs  at 
found  matters  there  in  great  confusion.  Colonel  Benedict  Arnold 
claimed  command,  by  virtue  of  his  commission  from  the  Provincial 
Congress  of  Massachusetts,  and  many  of  the  Green  Mountain  Boys 
were  so  angered  with  him  that  they  had  gone  home.  Arnold  was 
quarrelsome,  overbearing,  and  heartily  disliked,  although  his  military 
skill  and  bravery  are  admitted.  Complaint  was  made  to  the  body 
that  had  commissioned  him,  and  a  committee  sent  to  Ticonderoga 


Ticon 
deroga 


448  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in   to  jnquire  into  matters  ordered  Arnold  to  submit  to  Colonel  Hin- 

ANDFR!N?E  man,  then  in  command,  or  return  to  Massachusetts.     Arnold,  at  this, 

AMERICA    was  thrown  into  a  fury,  and,  swearing  that  he  would  be  second  to  no 

^o        man,  threw  up  his  commission  and  set  off  to  Cambridge  to  lay  his 

1783       grievances  before  Washington. 

Meanwhile,  General  Schuyler  learned  that  there  were  less  than  a 
thousand  British  regulars  in  Canada,  that  the  peasantry  were  sup 
posed  to  be  friendly  towards  the  Americans,  and  that  no  more  favor 
able  time  was  likely  to  occur  for  the  invasion  of  the  colony.  He 
therefore  devoted  his  energies  to  organizing  and  drilling  the  soldiers 
at  Ticonderoga  with  the  view  to  invasion,  but  the  task  was  a  dis 
couraging  one.  The  men  were  mutinous  and  tried  him  sorely,  so 
much  so  that  the  campaign  was  thereby  seriously  marred.  Another 
cause  of  grave  anxiety  was  the  Indians.  They  had  been  tampered 
with  by  the  English.  Sir  William  Johnson,  the  British  agent,  was 
already  winning  over  the  powerful  Six  Nations  and  preparing  for 
active  measures  against  the  Americans.  Congress  nominated  Schuy 
ler  as  head  of  the  Indian  Commission,  and,  to  meet  the  responsible 
duties  thus  thrown  upon  him,  he  placed  Gen.  Richard  Montgomery 
in  command  of  the  expedition  for  the  invasion  of  Canada.  Montgom 
ery  arrived  at  Ticonderoga  on  the  i/th  of  August,  and,  with  about 
Capture  a  thousand  men,  proceeded  to  Isle  La  Motte,  to  prevent  a  number  of 

John  vessels  then  building  on  the  Sorel  River,  from  entering  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  Schuyler  joined  him  early  in  September,  but  while  in  front 
of  the  fort  at  St.  John  he  was  prostrated  by  sickness  and  obliged  to 
return  to  Ticonderoga,  where  he  did  the  best  of  service  by  forward 
ing  troops  and  supplies  to  Montgomery,  who  at  once  invested  St. 
John.  The  garrison  was  a  strong  one  and  made  a  brave  defence ; 
but  on  November  2d  it  was  forced  to  surrender. 

While  the  siege  was  in  progress,  Col.  Ethan  Allen  with  a  hun 
dred  recruits  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  to  attack  Montreal,  but  was 
defeated  and  made  prisoner,  with  all  his  men.  Allen  was  put  in 
irons  and  sent  to  England  by  General  Prescott,  to  be  tried  for  trea 
son,  because  of  his  daring  capture  of  Ticonderoga  some  months 
before.  He  was  closely  confined,  and,  it  is  said,  was  treated  with 
great  severity  until  the  spring  of  1/78,  when  he  was  exchanged. 
Having  taken  St.  John,  Montgomery  now  moved  against  Montreal. 
Carleton  knew  that  he  could  not  hold  the  fort  against  a  determined 
attack,  and  therefore  made  ready  to  flee  to  Quebec  with  his  gar- 


CHAP.   XXXI. 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


449 


rison.  Montgomery  captured  the  flotilla  bearing  the  garrison  at  the  PERIOD  in 
mouth  of  the  Sorel,  but  Carleton,  by  a  secret  flight  at  night,  escaped 
to  Quebec.  Montgomery  entered  Montreal  on  the  I3th  of  Novem 
ber,  and  obtained  a  quantity  of  valuable  supplies  for  his  men.  All 
that  remained  to  secure  the  conquest  of  Canada  was  to  take  Quebec, 
and  the  brave  Montgomery  now  addressed  himself  to  that  task.* 


AMERICA 


1783 


INVASION  OF  CANADA 


It  will  be  remembered  that  Arnold  had  ridden  off  in  anger  to 
Washington,  at  Cambridge,  with  his  complaint  of  ill-treatment  at 
Ticonderoga.  No  one  understood  Arnold  better  than  the  com- 


Capture 

of  Mon 
treal 


*  In  whatever  mood  France  accepted  the  loss  of  her  Canadian  colony  in  1763,  she 
had  her  revenge  for  the  defeat  at  Montreal  .and  Quebec,  in  the  Revolution  that  had 
broken  out  in  the  English  colonies  on  the  seaboard,  as  Mtfntcalm  himself  had  predicted. 
In  turn,  however,  France  "  reaped  revenge's  fitting  harvest  in  her  own  Reign  of  Terror, 
and  all  the  revolutions  that  have  followed,  ere  she  could  acquire  some  capacity  for  self- 
government."  Whether  the  lesson  is  forgotten  or  not,  England,  as  it  has  been  well 
said,  "trained  her  children  to  deal  even  with  revolution  as  freemen,  and  not  as  slaves 
broke  loose." 


450  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in  mander-m-chief,  and  he  commissioned  him   colonel  in   the   Conti- 
EN^ND    nental  army  and  placed  him  in  command  of  eleven  hundred  troops, 

AND  FRANCE  . 

IN  selected  from  those  at  Cambridge,  to  co-operate  with  Montgomery  m 
1758  the  conquest  of  Canada.  Washington  was  pressing  the  siege  of  Bos- 
1783  ton  and  could  ill  spare  the  troops  ;  but  he  understood  the  importance 
of  making  the  invasion  of  Canada  successful.  Arnold  and  his  men 
Arnold's  sailed  from  Newburyport,  about  the  middle  of  September,  for  a  point 
tion  *~  on  *ne  Kennebec,  opposite  the  present  city  of  Augusta,  Maine.  The 
country  was  an  unbroken  solitude,  with  only  a  few  Indians  living 
here  and  there  in  the  vast  stretches  of  forest.  The  ascent  of  the 
river  was  begun  by  means  of  bateaux,  but  soon  they  reached  falls 
and  rapids,  where  it  was  necessary  to  take  the  boats  and  supplies 
around  to  the  navigable  stream  above.  The  troops  carried  their 
provisions  on  their  backs,  and  oxen  drew  the  boats.  The  men 
labored  through  the  swift  current  until  a  point  was  reached  where 
they  left  the  river,  and  pushed  through  dense  forests  and  swamps  to 
Dead  River,  on  the  watershed  between  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the 
Atlantic,  along  which  they  advanced  until  confronted  by  a  high  snow 
capped  mountain.  At  the  base  of  this  mountain,  late  in  October, 
the  troops  went  into  camp.  The  weather  was  cold  and  every  day  it 
grew  colder.  The  winters  being  severe  in  that  latitude,  the  pros 
pect  before  the  invaders  was  a  very  gloomy  one.  Many  of  the  men 
had  deserted,  while  sickness  was  on  the  increase.  It  was  thirty 
miles  to  the  nearest  tributary  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  down  which  Ar 
nold  had  to  voyage  to  Quebec.  Before  the  march  began,  a  cold, 
driving  rain  set  in.  The  Dead  River  became  a  roaring  torrent,  filled 
Hard-  w*tn  rushing  trees  and  limbs,  which  overturned  a  number  of  the 
ships  bateaux,  and  lost  to  the  expedition  so  much  provisions  that  the  food 
saved  was  not  sufficient  to  last  a  fortnight.  Matters  now  assumed 
so  grave  an  aspect  that  Arnold  held  a  conference  with  his  officers, 
at  which  it  was  decided  to  send  the  sick  to  Norridgewock,  where 
Colonel  Enos  was  with  the  rear  division.  Enos  was  ordered  to  hurry 
forward  with  provisions  for  fifteen  days.  Instead  of  obeying,  he 
returned  to  Cambridge  with  his  division.  He  was  tried  by  court- 
martial  for  this  act  and  acquitted,  since  it  had  become  evident  to 
Enos  that  nothing  but  disaster  awaited  the  expedition ;  but  he  was 
never  fully  restored  to  public  favor. 

It  would  be  hard  to  picture  a  more  dismal,  dispiriting,  and  de 
pressing  situation  than  that  of  Arnold  and  his  troops.     The  driving 


CHAP.  XXXI 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


451 


rain  changed  to  snow,  the  cold  increased,  and  ice  formed  continually.  PERIOD  in 
All  the  signs  pointed  to  an  early  and  rigorous  winter,  but  the  men 
resolutely  pressed  on.  Often  the  only  way  by  which  the  force  could 
make  headway  against  the  current  was  by  wading  in  the  freezing 
water,  waist  deep,  and  pushing  the  boats  in  front  of  them.  At 
last,  after  untold  suffering  and  labor,  they  arrived  at  Lake  Megantic 


AM™ICA 


1783 


and  encamped  on  its 
bank,  while  Arnold 
with  some  fifty  men 
proceeded  down  the 
Chaudiere  to  the 
nearest  French  set 
tlement  for  provi 
sions  for  his  com 
mand.  -  On  the  way 
they  met  with  a 
stirring  experience. 

They  knew  nothing  about  the  river,  and  had  hardly  launched  their 
bateaux  when  the  current  whirled  them  about  with  such  violence 
that  the  men  were  helpless.  Plunging  among  the  boiling  rapids, 
three  of  the  boats  were  overturned  and  shattered  to  fragments. 
The  others,  having  moored  in  more  peaceful  water,  were  able  to  save 
the  men  thus  flung  into  the  stream. 

Now  that  the  troops  paused  for  rest,  they  heard  a  steady  deep 
roar  coming  from  a  point  a  short  way  below  them.     They  set  out  to 


FIRING  ON    THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE 


A  Nar 
row  Es 
cape 


452  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in  learn  what  it  meant,  and  to  their  astonishment  found  a  high  cataract 
A?D  FRANCE  over  wni°n  a^  would  have  plunged  to  certain  death  but  for  the  mis- 


checked  them  and  which,  therefore,  proved  a  blessing 
Z758       in  disguise.     Embarking  again,  they  continued  their  way  down  the 
1783       angry  stream,  past  rapids  and  falls,  until  they  reached  Sertigan,  where 
food  was  obtained  and  sent  back  by  Indians  to  the  main  command, 
which  was  in  sore  need  of  them.     They  had  lost  all  their  boats  and 
provisions,  had  eaten  their  last  dog  some  days  before,  and  were  now 
living  on  roots.     Refreshed  by  the  food  brought  to  them,  the  army 
resumed  its  march  towards  the  St.  Lawrence. 

In  Front  By  this  time,  severe  weather  had  fully  come.  In  the  midst  of  a 
°  be"6"  fur"ious  snow-storm,  the  troops  appeared  like  so  many  spectres,  on 
the  heights  of  Point  Levis,  opposite.  Quebec.  The  town  was  thrown 
into  a  panic.  The  drums  beat  to  arms,  and  the  garrison  hastily  pre 
pared  to  meet  the  attack,  which  they  believed  would  be  made  with 
out  delay.  Arnold  was  confident  that  a  majority  of  the  people  in 
the  town  were  so  friendly  to  the  Americans  that  they  would  make 
common  cause  with  them  as  soon  as  they  appeared  before  it.  He 
was  eager  to  cross  the  river,  but  the  elements  prevented.  A  storm 
of  sleet  held  the  Americans  idle  for  four  days.  On  the  night  of  the 
1  3th,  over  five  hundred  men  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  in  canoes,  and 
landing  at  Wolfe's  Cove,  climbed  up  the  ravine,  and  at  daylight  stood 
in  battle  array  on  the  Heights  of  Abraham,  where  Wolfe  had  attacked 
Montcalm  sixteen  years  before. 

The  Americans  advanced  towards  the  two  gates  opening  upon  the 

plain,  and,  halting,  cheered  vigorously,  believing  that  the  regulars 

would  march  out  to  attack  them,  when  the  citizens  would  rise  and 

the  invaders  could  rush  in  and  take  possession  of  the  city.     But  the 

commandant  was  too  prudent  to  incur  any  risk  like  that.     He  re 

mained  at  his  post,  and  if  the  people  had  any  intention  of  rising,  they 

The  City  were  restrained  through  fear  of  the  garrison.     Arnold  demanded  the 

moned'to  surrender  of  the  city  and  issued  several  proclamations,  all  of  which 

Surren-    Were  treated  with  contempt.     Then  alarming  news   reached   him. 

Carleton  was  descending  the   St.  Lawrence  with  a  large  force  of 

Indians  and  Canadians,  and  the  garrison  were  preparing  to  march  out 

and  assail  him  with  field-pieces.     Arnold  had  no  cannon,  so  he  re 

treated  up  the  river  to  Point  aux  Trembles  and  there  waited  instruc 

tions  from  Montgomery. 

That  gallant  officer  had  meanwhile  not  been  idle.     He  had  placed 


CHAP,  xxxi  EVENTS    OF    1775  453 


garrisons   in   the  forts   at   St.  John,  and   at   Chambly,  and,  leaving 
Montreal   in  charge  of   General   Wooster,  he  made  ready  to  march 
against  Quebec.     But  the  chief  difficulty  Montgomery  experienced     AM™RICA 
was  to  hold  his  men  to  their  work.     The  enlistment  terms  of  nearly       J758 
all  expired  on  the   1st  of  December,  and  they  were  already  weary  of       1783 
their  task.     The  soldiers  refused  to  re-enlist,  and  day  by  day  the 
force  dwindled,  while  the  reinforcements  so  urgently  called  for  by 
him  and   Schuyler  were  not  furnished  by  Congress.      Montgomery  Junction 
made  the  best  arrangement  possible  with  the  men  that  were  willing     Forces 
to  accompany  him,  so,  leaving  Montreal  late  in  November,  he  joined 
Arnold  at  Point  aux  Trembles,  on  the  3d  of  December,  and  assumed 
at  once  command  of  the  united  troops.      He  brought  with   him  a 
quantity  of    clothing,  which    was    sorely    needed    by  the    suffering 
invaders,  now  less  than  a  thousand  in  number. 

It  seemed  a  grim  farce  for  this  weak  force  to  lay  siege  to  Que 
bec,  and  we  must  admire  the  pluck  displayed  by  the  Americans. 
They  appeared  before  the  town  on  the  5th  of  December,  and  the 
following  morning  Montgomery  summoned  Carleton  to  surrender. 
The  flag  of  truce  was  fired  upon,  whereupon  the  angered  Mont 
gomery  sent  a  threatening  notification  to  the  officer  who  had  thus 
violated  the  rules  of  civilized  warfare.  Carleton  refused  to  hold 
intercourse  with  his  assailant,  and  the  latter  made  ready  for  the 
assault. 

The  weather  was  intensely  cold,  and  the  ground  under  the  deep 
snow  was  frozen  like  flint.  Spade  and  pickaxe  were  useless,  so 
Montgomery  filled  large  baskets  with  snow,  poured  water  upon  this 
and  then  allowed  it  to  freeze.  In  a  short  time  he  thus  erected  a 
gleaming  embankment,  several  feet  high,  upon  which  he  placed  a  bat 
tery  of  six  twelve-pounders  and  two  howitzers.  The  shells  from  the  A  Futile 
several  mortars  which  fell  in  the  Lower  Town  set  a  number  of  build-  Attack 
ings  on  fire.  Then  the  cannon  opened  on  the  ice  battery  and  sent 
the  fragments  flying.  The  crystal  walls  were  speedily  demolished, 
and  the  American  battery  was  forced  to  withdraw.  By  this  time, 
Montgomery  saw  that  his  cannon  could  make  no  impression  on  the 
massive  stone  walls,  and  other  means,  he  concluded,  must  be  devised 
for  capturing  the  city.  His  force  was  so  weak  that  he  decided  to 
wait  for  reinforcements,  but  two  weeks  passed  and  not  a  solitary 
soldier  appeared.  The  action  of  Congress  was  slow,  and  the  anx 
ious  Schuyler  had  no  money  with  which  to  obtain  either  men  or  sup- 


454  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 

PERIOD  in  plies.     He  even  used  his  own  personal  credit,  but  could  not  procure 
ANDFRAN?E  ***?  recruits-     Montgomery  was  thus  left  to  help  himself  the  best 
1N         way  he  could. 

AMERICA 

1758  That  officer  had  a  task  on  his  hands  before  which  the  bravest 

1783       leader  would  have  quailed.     In  a  few  days  the  terms  of  enlistment 

of  the  remainder  of  his  men  would  expire,  and  there  was  little  hope 

of  holding  them  longer.     Snow  fell  almost  continuously,  and  then 

A  Dismal  small-pox  broke  out  and  raged  with  fatal  virulence.     As  if  this  were 

mas*"  not  enough»  Arnold  quarrelled  with  his  officers,  who  became  so 
incensed  against  him  that  they  told  Montgomery  they  would  leave 
the  service  unless  they  were  placed  under  another  commander. 
Montgomery  called  all  his  tact  and  wisdom  into  play,  and,  by  his 
kind,  firm  words  to  Arnold  and  his  appeals  to  the  patriotism  of  the 
others,  healed  their  differences.  It  was  a  dismal  Christmas  which 
came  to  the  suffering  troops,  hundreds  of  miles  from  home,  in  a  hos 
tile  country,  shivering  with  cold  and  suffering  with  hunger,  but  to 
their  credit  be  it  said  they  did  not  shrink  from  their  duty. 

A  council  of  war  was  held,  at  which  it  was  decided  that  two 
attacks  should  be  made  upon  the  city  at  the  same  time, — one  under 
the  command  of  Montgomery,  and  the  other  under  the  leadership  of 
Arnold.  While  Montgomery  was  to  effect  the  capture  of  the  Cape 
Diamond  bastion,  on  the  highest  point  of  the  promontory,  Arnold 
was  to  attack  the  Lower  Town  and  burn  the  British  stockade  close 
by  the  river.  No  date  was  fixed,  but  it  was  agreed  that  the  assault 
should  be  made  on  the  first  stormy  night,  which  was  certain  to  come 
very  soon.  Another  snow-storm  set  in  on  the  afternoon  of  Decem 
ber  30th,  and  it  was  resolved  that  the  attempt  should  be  made  that 
night.  Desertion  and  sickness  had  reduced  Montgomery's  force  to 
about  seven  hundred  men,  but  he  was  still  as  resolute  as  ever.  He 
energetically  completed  his  plans,  and,  in  the  cold  and  darkness  and 
storm,  at  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  the  year,  the 
troops  were  in  motion. 

The  Colonel  Livingston  was  to  make  a  feint  against  the    St.  Louis 

Assault  Gate  and  set  it  on  fire,  while  Major  Brown  was  to  threaten  the  ram 
parts  of  Cape  Diamond.  Arnold  was  to  lead  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men  to  attack  and  set  fire  to  the  works  at  St.  Roque,  and  Mont 
gomery,  with  the  remaining  troops,  was  to  advance  below  Cape  Dia 
mond,  carry  the  defences  at  the  base  of  the  citadel,  and  then  push  for 
ward  and  join  Arnold.  If  successful,  this  would  give  the  assailants 


CHAP,  xxxi 


EVENTS    OF    1775 


455 


possession  of  the  Lower  Town,  after  which  they  would  unite,  destroy 
Prescott  Gate,  and  dash  into  the  city.  The  plan  was  good  and  well 
matured,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  it  would  have  met  with  sue- 
cess,  had  not  a  deserter  revealed  the  scheme  to  Carleton,  who  caused 
his  soldiers  to  sleep  that  night  on  their  arms. 

The  darkness  was  so  dense  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  Ameri 
cans  to  adopt  some  means  of  recognizing  each  other.  To  do  this, 
a  piece  of  white  paper  was  fastened  in  front  of  each  man's  cap.  In 
the  face  of  the  blinding  sleet  and  hail,  Montgomery  led  his  men 
along  the  icy  path  at  the  foot  of  the  acclivity  until  they  reached  a 
block-house  below  Cape  Diamond.  There  was  no  sign  of  life  there, 
and,  believing  that  the  garrison  were  unprepared,  the  impatient 
leader  shouted  to  his  men  to  follow  him.  But  the  traitor  from  the 
American  ranks  had  done  his  work  too  well.  A  strong  company 
were  on  the  watch,  with  weapons  ready,  and  the  moment  Montgom 
ery's  voice  rang  out  in  the  storm  and  darkness,  they  opened  fire  with 
grape-shot.  In  an  instant  Montgomery,  two  officers,  and  ten  men 
were  killed.  The  remainder  hurriedly  retreated  to  Wolfe's  Cove 
and  made  no  further  effort  to  reach  the  gate. 

Arnold  at  this  time  was  fighting  his  way  through  snow-drifts  on 
the  other  side  of  the  town,  which  was  in  a  turmoil.  The  bells  were 
ringing,  and  drums  were  beating  to  arms,  while  above  the  din  and 
tumult  sounded  the  boom  of  cannon.  Arnold,  with  the  dauntless 
bravery  for  which  he  was  noted,  pushed  on,  forced  by  the  circum 
stances  we  have  already  explained  to  lead  his  men  in  single  file. 
It  was  found  impossible  to  drag  cannon  with  them,  and  they  were 
therefore  left  behind.  The  fighting  had  hardly  begun,  when  Arnold 
received  a  severe  wound  in  the  leg  and  had  to  be  carried  to  the  rear. 
The  gallant  Morgan  then  took  command,  and,  after  desperate  work, 
captured  two  batteries  from  the  enemy.  He  was  about  to  attack 
Prescott  Gate,  when  the  depressing  news  reached  him  that  the  troops 
stationed  near  one  of  the  other  gates  had  been  made  prisoners.  De 
spite  the  most  determined  fighting,  and  after  severe  loss,  Morgan 
was  compelled  to  surrender  with  four  hundred  troops.  A  force  of 
reserves  had  meanwhile  retreated  and  were  soon  joined  by  others 
who  escaped. 

Carleton  and  Montgomery  had  previously  fought  side  by  side 
in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  and  the  former  sent  out  a  detach 
ment  to  search  for  the  body  of  his  old  comrade.  It  was  found,  with 


PERIOD  in 


AM™ICA 


1783 


Death  oi 


gomery 


°f     . 
cans 


456 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxi 


PERIOD  in   his  brother  officers,  half  buried  under  snow-drifts.     All  were  rev- 

AM>NFRANCE  erentty  brought  within  the  city  and  given  burial.     Nearly  half  a 

AMERICA     century  later,  the  remains  of   Montgomery  were  brought  to   New 

Z758       York,  and  they  now  rest  under  a  beautiful  monument  in  St.  Paul's 

17&3       churchyard,  in  lower  Broadway.      It  would  seem  that  this  ought  to 

have  been  the  end  of  the  ill-starred  invasion  of  Canada,  marked  as 

it  was  by  disaster  almost  from  the  beginning.     But  the  remnants  of 

the  expeditionary  force  stayed  behind  until  the  following  spring. 

By  that  time  the  folly  of  the  whole  expedition  became  so  apparent 

that  it  was  decided  to  leave  the  country.     Before  the  sick  could  be 

removed,  the  English,  who  had  been  reinforced,  sallied  out  from  the 

gates  and  scattered  the  fugitive  Americans  in  confusion.     Carleton 

the  Inva-  could  feel  only  sympathy  for  his  enemies.     He  knew  their  wretched 

sion       plight,  and  humanely  ordered  troops  to  search  through  the  woods  for 

the  wounded  and  helpless.     All  that  could  be  found  were  brought  in 

and  treated  kindly.     Those  that  needed  aid  were  sent  to  the  hospital 

and  told  that  they  were  at  liberty  to  go  to  their  homes,  as  .soon  as 

they  felt  strong  enough  to  do  so.     Finally,  the  remnant  of  the  shat 

tered  and  dispirited  army  proceeded  to  the  shelter  of  Crown  Point, 

many  of  them  dying  on  the  way  thither.     Thus  ends  the  sad  story 

of  the  unfortunate  Canadian  invasion  of  1775. 


COPYRIGHT   1896. 


FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING  BY    W.    P.    SNYDER 

THE  DEATH  OF  MONTGOMERY 


CHAPTER    XXXII 
EVENTS  OF  1776  (DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE} 

[Authorities  :  In  May  (1775),  before  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  England  had  strength 
ened  her  forces  in  America  by  despatching  to  Boston  Generals  Howe,  Clinton,  and 
Burgoyne,*  with  a  considerable  body  of  British  troops  and  a  contingent  of  foreign  mer 
cenaries,  chiefly  Hessians.  The  arrival  of  the  latter  naturally  intensified  the  feeling  of 
resentment  in  the  colonies,  and  drew  thousands  into  the  ranks  of  the  New  England  lev 
ies,  under  Washington,  Lee,  Schuyler,  Putnam,  Nathaniel  Greene,  and  other  officers. 
With  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  conflict  was  fairly  entered  upon,  though  at 
first  with  dispiriting  results,  due  partly  to  the  ill-fortunes  of  war  and  the  short  term  of 
colonial  enlistments,  and  partly  to  jealousies  and  contentions  among  the  commander-in- 
chief  s  general  officers.  With  the  capture  of  New  York  by  the  British,  the  fall  of  Fort 
Washington,  and  the  consequent  retreat  through  New  Jersey,  the  situation  grew  more 
alarming,  though  it  was  at  length  relieved  by  the  victories  at  Trenton  and  Princeton, 
which  brought  the  first  year's  campaigns  of  the  war  to  a  triumphant  and  more  hopeful 
close.  The  authorities  for  the  period  are  those  cited  at  the  opening  of  the  two  previous 
chapters.  For  fuller  details  of  the  episode  of  Nathan  Hale — the  hero  who  at  his  death 
regretted  that  he  had  but  one  life  to  lose  for  his  country — see  his  life  by  Stuart  (Hart- 
ford,  1856),  and  Lossing's  "  The  Two  Spies  :  Nathan  Hale  and  John  Andre"  (New  York, 
1886).] 


iJVvtre     ttx. 

tiro  I. 


or  to  be 
flush  of 


ENERAL  WASHINGTON  was  meanwhile  press- 
ing  the  siege  of  Boston,  but  in  the  undertaking  he 
was  compelled  to  face  every  sort  of  discourage 
ment.  The  terms  of  enlistment  of  all  the  troops 
would  expire  with  the  year,  and  unless  the  fates 
were  more  auspicious  he  was  likely  to  be  left  a 
commander  without  an  army.  The  men  were  ar 
dently  patriotic,  but  unaccustomed  to  bearing  arms, 
long  absent  from  their  homes.  They  rushed  to  battle  in  the 
the  first  excitement,  but,  as  the  days  and  weeks  passed,  many 


*  General  John  Burgoyne  [1722-1792]  son  of  Capt.  John,  and  grandson  of  Sir  John 
Burgoyne,  Bt.,  purchased    a    lieutenancy  in  the  Thirteenth   Light  Dragoons  in  1740, 


CHAP.   XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


459 


BOSTON  WITH  ITS  ENVIRONS  IN  1775-1776 


460  HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 

PERIOD  in    grew  homesick.     They  had  all  hastily  left  their  families  and  now  felt 
ENGLAND    that  they  ought  to  look   after  those  they  loved.     Some  of  them,  more- 

AND  FRANCE  J  J 

AMERICA  over>  chafed  under  discipline,  and  but  for  the  great  tact  of  the  com- 
1758  mander  he  would  have  been  well-nigh  helpless.  He  granted  furloughs, 
I?83  listened  patiently  to  their  complaints,  counselled  them  wisely,  and 

showed  a  kindness  and  sympathy  which  won  all  hearts.     t- 
The  Congress,  saw  the  imperative  necessity  of  preserving  the  Conti- 

Bofton  nental  army  intact.  A  committee  was  therefore  sent  to  Cambridge 
to  consult  with  the  commander-in-chief,  and  together  a  plan  was  fixed 
upon  which  proved  effectual.  Among  the  disquieting  things  which 
the  autumn  brought  to  light  was  the  fact  that  there  were  only  about 
eight  rounds  of  ammunition  for  each  man.  Had  this  become  known 
to  the  British,  they  could  have  sallied  out  from  the  city  and  at  once 
scattered  the  besiegers.  But  while  no  important  movement  was 
made  by  the  Americans,  Washington  did  not  allow  them  to  remain 
wholly  idle.  Now  and  then  cannonading  was  indulged  in,  though 
little  was  accomplished.  Several  skirmishes  took  place,  and  Wash 
ington  strove  to  bring  on  a  general  battle.  While  not  strong  enough 
to  make  an  open  attack,  he  hoped  the  enemy  would  attack  him,  but 
Gage  was  too  cautious  to  incur  the  risk.  He  resorted  to  the  more 


and  three  years  afterwards  eloped  with  and  married  Lady  Charlotte  Stanley,  daughter  of 
the  eleventh  Earl  of  Derby.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  Seven  Years'  War,  he  obtained  the 
lieutenant-colonelcy  of  the  Coldstream  Guards  through  his  father-in-law's  influence,  and 
saw  considerable  service  on  the  Continent,  and  was  sent,  later  on,  to  Portugal,  as  brigadier- 
general,  to  assist  the  Portuguese  against  Spain.  After  his  return  to  England  he  entered 
political  life,  and  became  an  habitue  of  fashionable  clubs  and  theatres,  and  for  a  time 
was  a  successful  playwright,  meanwhile  holding  several  sinecure  military  appointments. 
In  1775,  he  was  sent  to  America  to  reinforce  General  Gage  at  Boston,  and  in  the  follow 
ing  year  was  attached  to  the  staff  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  in  Canada.  With  Carleton  he 
saw  some  fighting  in  the  Lake  Champlain  district,  but  returned  to  England  later  in  the 
year  to  urge  upon  the  English  ministry  an  active  campaign,  directed  from  Canada,  upon 
northern  New  York.  The  British  authorities,  impressed  by  the  scheme,  gave  Burgoyne 
permission  to  engage  in  it,  and  in  May,  1777,  on  his  return  to  Canada,  he  set  out  from 
Three  Rivers,  with  a  force  of  7,000  men,  to  descend  the  waterways  to  the  Hudson,  and, 
in  cooperation  with  Clinton's  command  which  was  to  move  northwards  from  New  York, 
to  seek  to  cut  the  colonies  in  twain.  Neglecting  to  keep  open  his  communications  with 
Canada,  and  Clinton  failing  to  form  a  junction  with  him,  he  was,  as  we  shall  presently 
see,  surrounded  at  Saratoga  and  captured  with  his  entire  command.  After  this  crowning 
disaster,  Burgoyne  obtained  leave  to  return  to  England,  where  he  had  to  face  reproach 
and  attack,  against  which  he  defended  himself  in  his  ' '  Narrative  of  the  Expedition  from 
Canada."  Fora  time  he  again  entered  political  life,  and  was,  in  1782,  commander-in- 
chief  in  Ireland.  His  remaining  years  were  spent  in  social  success,  and  in  indulging 
in  dramatic  writing,  for  which  he  had  some  gifts.  He  died  suddenly,  in  1792,  and  was 
buried  in  Westminster  Abbey.  See  his  "  Life  and  Correspondence,"  by  Fonblanque. 


CHAP,  xxxn  EVENTS    OF    1776  461 


childish  course  of  indulging  in  threats,  of  sending  out  reports  of  the  PERIOD  in 
formidable  reinforcements  on  their  way  to  join  him,  and  of  what  he 
would  do  when  they  arrived.      He  sent  cruisers  to  attack  the  coast 
towns  of  New  England,  hoping  thus  to  induce  Washington  to  detach       T758 
troops  to  their  relief.      Among  the  towns  burned  was  Falmouth,  now        1783 
Portland,  Maine.      In   October,  Gage  was  relieved  of  his  command, 
on  the  ground  of  inefficiency,  and  General  Howe  assumed  charge  of  Appoint- 
the  British  armies  in  America.      He  treated  the  Whigs  and  suspected    General 
persons  in  Boston  with  great  harshness,  and  threatened  with  death   H£hfef° 
any  who  left  the  city  without  permission.  Com- 

As  was  natural,  Congress  and  the  country  became  impatient  with 
the  inaction  at  Boston.  Months  had  passed  since  the  battles  of 
Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill,  and  there  was  no  substantial  change  on 
the  part  of  the  two  armies  confronting  each  other.  None  was  more 
anxious  than  Washington  to  strike  a  blow,  but  as  we  have  seen  he 
was  powerless.  His  army  was  fast  dwindling,  and  those  that  were 
left  suffered  much  from  lack  of  food  and  clothing.  Towards  the 
close  of  the  year,  however,  something  like  a  reaction  of  patriotism 
happily  set  in.  The  regiments  began  to  fill  up,  provisions  were  sup 
plied,  and  an  air  of  hopefulness  now  animated  every  one.  As  orga 
nized,  on  the  ist  of  January,  1776,  the  new  Continental  army 
consisted  of  ten  thousand  men,  though  of  this  force  a  large  number 
were  still  absent  on  furlough.  It  was  at  this  time  that  a  new  flag  The 

" 

was  displayed,  composed  of  thirteen  alternate  red  and  white  stripes, 
as  it  is  to-day,  but  the  blue  ground  in  the  corner  contained  the  united 
crosses  of  St.  Andrew  and  St.  George,  instead  of  the  stars  which 
supplanted  them.  When  it  was  unfurled  in  front  of  the  army  at 
Cambridge  it  was  greeted  with  loud  cheering. 

Not  counting  the  marines  on  the  ships  of  war,  the  British  troops 
in  Boston  were  about  eight  thousand  in  number.  They  made  them 
selves  at  home,  with  their  riding-school  in  the  Old  South  Church, 
and  the  theatre  in  Faneuil  Hall,  where  one  of  their  plays  was 
founded  on  the  supposed  incidents  in  the  siege  of  Boston,  which,  in 
the  effusive  British  loyalty  of  the  time,  terminated  with  the  over 
throw  of  the  Yankees !  Thus  the  weeks  and  months  went  by,  with 
Washington  grimly  holding  the  British  within  the  city,  until  the 
evening  of  March  4th,  when  the  patriots  took  possession  of  Dorches 
ter  Heights,  from  which  a  cannonade  was  opened  upon  the  enemy. 
Howe  would  have  attacked  the  patriots  the  next  day  but  a  storm 


462 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxii 


PERIOD  in  prevented.  Washington  continued  to  improve  the  time,  and  finally 
secured  a  position  from  which  his  cannon  fully  commanded  the 
city. 

The  alternative  was  now  forced  upon  Howe  of  fighting  or  retreat 
ing,  and,  seeing  this,  he  began  preparations  for  leaving  the  place 
he  had  occupied  so  long.  The  decision  spread  consternation  among 
the  Tories,  who  had  good  cause  to  dread  the  vengeance  of  the  Whigs, 
towards  whom  they  had  shown  great  cruelty.  They  discreetly  pre 
ferred  to  go  with  the  enemies  of  their  country  and  did  so.  On  the 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


Evacua 
tion  of 
Boston 


THE  NEW  FLAG 

1 7th  of  March,  Howe  and  his  troops  embarked  on  board  the  war 
ships  and  transports,  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  and  sailed  for 
Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  carrying  with  them  more  than  a  thousand 
"loyalists."  Then  Washington  and  his  troops  marched  in  and  occu 
pied  the  city  amid  the  heartfelt  rejoicings  of  the  people.  The  event 
caused  much  gladness  throughout  the  colonies.  Both  branches  of 
the  Massachusetts  legislature  voted  thanks  to  Washington  and  the 
army,  while  Congress  ordered  a  commemorative  medal  to  be  struck. 


CHAP,  xxxn 


EVENTS    OF    16 


463 


This  was  produced  in  gold  and  bronze,  and  is  now  in  the  possession 
of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society. 

The  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British,  however,  did  not  mean 
that  they  had  given  up  their  intention  of  conquering  the  colonies. 
The  next  blow  struck  was  against  the  South.  Early  in  June, 
Admiral  Parker,  with  twenty-five  hundred  troops,  appeared  off 
Charleston,  South,  Carolina,  with  the  intention  of  capturing  the  city. 
The  people  there  expected  him  and  made  preparations  for  the  strug- 
gle.  General  Lee  had  been  sent  thither  by  Washington,  and  his 
arrival  was  inspiriting  to  the  patriots.  The  militia,  at  the  call  of 
Governor  Rutledge,  flocked  in  from  the  surrounding  country,  and 
Fort  Sullivan  was  speedily  strengthened  by  the  mounting  of  thirty 
pieces  of  heavy  ordnance.  The  fort  was  made  of  palmetto  logs  and 
manned  by  over  four  hundred  men,  under  Colonel  Moultrie.  The 
British  fleet,  numbering  nearly  forty  vessels,  carried  two  hundred 
and  sixty-two  guns.  The  attack  began  about  noon,  June  28th, 
and  lasted  with  slight  intermission  until  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
While  the  fight  was  raging,  the  people  of  Charleston,  who  were 
watching  it  with  intense  interest,  were  thrown  into  dismay  by  the 
disappearance  of  the  flag.  Their  belief  was  that  the  fort  had  sur 
rendered,  but  the  flagstaff  had  been  cut  in  two  by  a  cannon-shot 
from  the  fleet.  Hardly  had  it  fallen,  when  Sergeant  William  Jasper 
sprang  through  an  embrasure,  picked  up  the  flag,  while  the  shot  were 
flying  round  him,  re-entered  the  fort,  and,  climbing  to  the  parapet,  set 
the  sponge-staff  to  which  he  had  fastened  it,  firmly  in  place.  The 
British  were  defeated  and  withdrew.  They  lost  considerably  over 
two  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded,  while  of  the  gallant  defenders 
of  the  fort  only  ten  men  were  killed  and  twenty-two  wounded.  In 
honor  of  the  valiant  commander,  the  name  of  Fort  Sullivan  was 
changed  to  Fort  Moultrie.  The  enemy's  fleet  sailed  to  Long  Island, 
where,  after  remaining  a  few  days  to  repair  damages,  it  joined  the 
forces  at  New  York,  under  General  Sir  William  and  his  brother 
Admiral  Howe. 

Washington,  having  driven  the  British  out  of  Boston,  now  gave 
his  attention  to  other  threatened  points.  Some  of  his  troops,  as  we 
have  seen,  went  to  Canada  to  help  in  the  ill-fated  expedition  under 
Montgomery  and  Arnold,  but  a  larger  number  were  sent  to  New 
York  and  the  neighborhood.  It  had  been  known  that  Sir  Henry 
Clinton  would  sail  from  Boston  with  troops  on  a  secret  expedition, 


PERIOD  Hi 
AND  FRANCE 


1783 


British 
On 


Repuise 
of  the 


464 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxii 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1/83 


General 

Lee  in 

New 

York 


and  Washington  suspected  that  New  York  was  his  destination. 
Governor  Tryon,  the  royalist  ruler  of  North  Carolina,  had  been  sent 
thither  by  the  crown  and  was  ready  to  lead  a  demonstration  in  its 
favor. 

General  Lee  was  recruiting  at  that  time  in  Connecticut,  and 
Washington  ordered  him  to  go  to  New  York  with  his  volunteers  and 
there  assume  charge.  He  did  so,  and  held  the  city  with  an  iron 
hand.  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  however,  who  soon  arrived  with  his  fleet, 


EXPLOIT      OF  SERGEANT  JASPER 


sailed  southward  to  make  his  unsuccessful  attack  on  Charleston.  In 
June,  General  Howe  *  reached  Sandy  Hook  with  his  recruited  army 
from  Halifax,  and  was  soon  joined  by  a  large  fleet,"  commanded  by 
his  brother,  Richard,  Earl  Howe.  Washington  soon  arrived  at  New 


*Sir  William  Howe  (1729-1814),  brother  of  Earl  Howe,  the  famous  British  admiral 
who  relieved  Gibraltar  in  1782,  served  under  Wolfe  at  Quebec,  and  was  appointed  major- 
general  in  1777.  He  commanded  the  British  forces  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  was  given  the 


CHAP,  xxxn  EVENTS    OF    1776  465 


York  and  pushed  forward  the  defences  of  the  city.      Fort  Washing-   PERIOD  in 
ton  was  built  on  Washington   Heights,   the   most  elevated  part  of  J^J^NCE 
Manhattan   Island,   and  strong  batteries  were  constructed  at  other     AM™ICA 
points.     The  peril  of  the  country  was,  however,  at  this  juncture  so       T758 
imminent  that  the  commander-in-chief  went  to  Philadelphia  to  con-       1783 
suit  with  Congress.     That  body  authorized  the  enlistment  of  a  large 
body  of  men  and  in  other  respects  followed  the  counsel  of  Washing 
ton  in  preparing  for  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war.     The  deter 
mination    to    gain     their     independence    was     rapidly    intensifying 
throughout  the  colonies,  where  there  had  been  many  who  were  hesi 
tating  and   doubtful.      One  of   the   most   powerful   agencies  in  the  The  Ser- 
growth  of  patriotic  sentiment  was  an  argument,  written  by  Thomas 


Paine,  *  the  son  of  an  English  Quaker,  who  had  lately  come  to  Amer-  Paine 
ica.  The  logic  of  the  pamphlet  was  perfect,  and  it  was  effective 
chiefly  in  showing  the  true  relations  between  England  and  her  colo 
nies.  The  legislature  of  Pennsylvania  published  and  circulated  the 
essay  and  presented  Paine  with  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds  ster 
ling,  as  an  appreciation  of  his  services  in  the  cause  of  liberty. 

The  first  distinctive  sign  of  the  new-born  resolution  for  independ-       First 
ence  was  the  recommendation  made  by  Congress  in  May,  that  the  Towards 
various  colonies  should  form  governments  of  their  own,  in  place  of      Inde- 
those  that  had  been  overthrown.     The  advice  was  followed,  and  the       ence 
colonies  thereafter  were  known  as  States.     On  the  8th  of  June,  a 
resolution  was  offered  in  Congress  declaring  the   States  free  and 
independent.     Virginia  had  been  the  first  to  instruct  her  delegates 
to  vote  for  independence,  and  a  committee  of  five  was  named  to  draw 

chief  command  three  years  later,  on  General  Gage's  departure  for  England.  He  con- 
ducted  the  withdrawal  of  the  British  from  Boston  in  1776,  and  in  the  following  year 
gained  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  and  occupied  New  York.  In  October  28,  1776,  he 
won  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  and  in  the  following  month  took  Fort  Washington.  In. 
the  autumn  of  1777,  he  was  victor  at  Brandy  wine,  entered  Philadelphia,  and  repulsed 
Washington  at  Germantown.  Being  superseded  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  in  1778,  he  re 
turned  to  England,  where,  after  submitting  to  a  parliamentary  investigation  on  his  military 
career  in  America,  which  ended  in  his  vindication,  he  was  made  a  lieutenant-general  in 
1782,  and  general  in  1786.  In  1790,  on  the  death  of  his  brother,  he  succeeded  to  the 
peerage  as  Viscount  Howe,  and  died  in  1814. 

*  This  passionate  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Common  Sense,"  was  written  by  an  English 
radical  and  deist  whose  reputation  has  now,  for  over  a  century,  suffered  in  consequence 
of  the  infidel  character  of  his  "  Age  of  Reason  "  and  "  The  Rights  of  Man,"  the  latter 
being  a  morally  and  politically  disturbing  answer  to  Burke's  "  Reflections  on  the  Revo 
lutions  in  France."  "Common  Sense"  is  a  strong,  telling,  though  somewhat  coarsely 
written,  argument  in  favor  of  political  separation  of  the  colonies  from  the  motherland, 
and  for  the  founding  of  an  American  Republic. 


466  HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 

PERIOD  in  up  the  declaration.     This  committee  was  composed  of  Thomas  Jef- 
ferson,  Benjamin   Franklin,   Roger  Sherman,  and  William   Living- 
ston.     Jefferson   wrote   nearly   every  word    of   the    Declaration   of 
Independence,  but,  as  he  was  not  a  ready  speaker,  Adams  did  most  of 
1783       the  talking  in  its  favor.     Their  work  was  finished  June  28th,  and 
the  Declaration  itself  was  adopted  July  4th,  1776,  —  a  day  which, 
The  Dec-  doubtless,  will  be  celebrated  as  our  grandest  and  most  joyous  anni- 
of  Inde-    versary  to  the  end  of  time.     The  immortal  document  was  received 


with  bonfires,  illuminations,  and  general  rejoicing.  It  was  read  at 
the  head  of  the  army  and  nerved  the  patriots  to  pledge  their  "  lives, 
their  fortunes,  and  their  sacred  honor,"  in  the  struggle  for  liberty 
and  independence.  All  this  was  needed,  for  England  was  soon  to 
put  forth  her  utmost  efforts  to  conquer  her  rebellious  subjects.  She 
had  not  only  immense  armies  and  fleets,  but  she  hired  over  sixteen 
thousand  Hessian  troops  in  Holland  to  assist  in  the  work  of  subju 
gation. 

When  the  two  Howes  arrived  at  New  York,  they  believed  that  a 
single  campaign  would  stamp  out  all  resistance.  This  belief  would 
seem  warranted,  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  British  army  far 
outnumbered  that  of  the  patriots,  while  the  land  force  was  supported 
by  four  hundred  ships  and  transports,  ten  ships-of-the-line,  and  twenty 
frigates.  With  fifteen  thousand  men,  Howe  crossed  to  Long  Island, 
where  General  Putnam,  with  five  thousand  poorly  equipped  troops, 
Defeat  of  was  posted  near  Brooklyn,  then  simply  a  ferry  station.  Through 

Amen-        blunder  on  the  part  of  Putnam,  his  force  was  nearly  surrounded 
cans  on  J 

Longlsl-  and  routed  towards  the  end  of  August,  1776.  Three  thousand 
Americans  escaped  to  Brooklyn,  where  a  fort  had  been  built  ;  but 
the  sluggish  Howe  lost  all  advantage  by  his  tardiness.  He  spent 
two  days  debating  whether  to  attack  the  fort  or  not.  He  believed 
that  the  Americans  would  realize  their  hopelessness  and  surrender 
without  serious  resistance  ;  but  a  dense  fog  enabled  Washington  to 
withdraw  the  garrison  to  New  York.  Howe  followed  slowly  with 
his  immensely  superior  force,  and  Washington  fell  back,  fighting  both 
at  Harlem  and  at  White  Plains,  but  with  little  advantage  to  either 
side.  Reaching  the  hills  east  of  the  present  town  of  Peekskill,  he 
then  turned  about  and  faced  the  enemy. 

Howe  refused,  however,  to  attack  and  moved  into  New  Jersey. 
Washington  left  a  part  of  his  army  under  General  Lee,  crossed  the 
Hudson,  and  marched  to  Fort  Lee.  Fort  Washington,  on  the  north- 


CHAP.   XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


467 


ern  end  of  Manhattan  Island,  was  nearly  opposite  this  fort  and  was    PERIOD  in 

garrisoned  by  Colonel  Magaw,  with  nearly  three  thousand  soldiers. 

The  fort  was  assaulted  by  the  enemy,  November  i6th,  and  captured, 

after  severe  loss  on  the  part  of  the  assailants.     Washington  witnessed 

the  disaster  with  deep  distress,  but  just  then  he  was  powerless  to 

help  the  assailed  force.     This  defeat  endangered  the  whole  army. 


AM™ICA 


INDEPENDENCE  HALL  RESTORED  AS  IN  1776 

Washington  left  General  Lee  to  hold  the  position  at  Peekskill,  and 
with  five  thousand  men  embarked  on  the  Hudson  and  moved  down 
to  a  point  nearly  opposite  New  York.  Early  in  December,  Corn- 
wallis  crossed  the  river  with  a  strong  detachment,  under  orders  from 
Howe  to  pursue  and  capture  Washington,  but  the  confident  earl  found 
the  task  harder  than  he  had  imagined.  Washington  had  sent  orders 
to  General  Lee  to  join  him,  but  Lee  purposely  lagged,  to  that  extent, 
indeed,  that  he  was  captured  near  Basking  Ridge,  New  Jersey,  as  he 


Capture 
of  Gen 
eral 
Chas. 
Lee 


468  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 

PERIOD  in   wished  to  be,  since  his  heart  had  been  with  the  enemy  from  the  first, 
despite  n^s  boasted  patriotism  and  seeming  loyal  service  in  the  cause 
of  independence. 
1758  Those  were  the  dark  days  of  the  Revolution.     The  Continental 

TO  * 

I78s       army  was  in  rags,  and  half -starving.     It  was  continually  retreating, 
with  the  pursuers  so  close  that  they  often   exchanged   shots  with 

Dark      the  American  rear-guard.     It  was  now  winter,  and  the  ground  was 
Days  of 
the  Rev-  covered  with  snow,  and  the  weather  bitterly  cold.     Many  men  were 

olution  even  barefoot  and  left  bloody  prints  on  the  flinty  roads,  as  they 
straggled  southward.  Hundreds,  believing  the  cause  of  freedom 
utterly  lost,  made  haste  to  accept  the  offers  of  the  crown,  and  returned 
to  their  allegiance.*  It  seemed  to  Washington  at  this  time  as  if  his 
army  would  melt  away  before  he  could  reach  the  Delaware  River, 
and  he  would  be  left  without  a  command.  Congress  abandoned  Phil 
adelphia  and  sought  safety  in  Baltimore,  first  investing  the  com- 
mander-in-chief  with  almost  supreme  power.  He,  tower  of  strength 
as  he  was,  seemed  to  be  about  the  only  person  in  the  whole  country 
who  was  not  in  despair.  But  the  hero  saw  that  something  must  be 
done  to  infuse  courage  and  hope  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 
It  was  all  important  that  he  should  strike  a  blow  that  would  be  a 
telling  one,  and  he  determined  to  do  it.  He  had  meanwhile  crossed 
the  Delaware  into  Pennsylvania  and  secured  all  the  boats  within 
reach,  for  fifty  miles  up  and  down  stream.  Cornwallis,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  ceased  pursuit  and  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Trenton, 
Princeton,  and  other  points  in  New  Jersey,  believing  it  unnecessary 

Crossing  ^o  gjve  anv  further  thought  to  the  "  ragamuffins,"  as  he  called  them. 
Dela-  On  Christmas  night,  Washington  recrossed  the  Delaware,  about 

^Wash-y    eight  miles  above  Trenton,  with  twenty-five   hundred  picked    men 

ington  and  several  pieces  of  artillery.  The  weather  was  still  bitterly  cold 
and  the  air  was  full  of  cutting  sleet.  Dividing  his  force,  the 
march  was  taken  up  for  Trenton  by  two  parallel  roads,  one  along  the 
river,  and  the  other  several  miles  inland.  It  was  planned  that  the 
two  divisions  should  reach  the  town  at  the  same  time,  which  was 
done.  As  one  body  of  Americans  was  driving  in  the  pickets  on  the 

*  It  was  believed  for  a  hundred  years  that  among  those  who  sought  the  protection 
offered  by  Howe,  was  Joseph  Reed,  Adjutant-General  of  the  continental  army,  and  a 
trusted  friend  of  Washington.  In  1876,  however,  Adjutant-General  W.  S.  Stryker,  of 
New  Jersey,  discovered  documentary  proof  that  the  officer  referred  to  was  Colonel  Charles 
Reed,  of  the  Burlington  militia. 


CHAP.   XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


469 


Pennington  road,  they  heard  the  guns  of  Sullivan  near  the  river,  who    PERIOD  in 
had  attacked  the  lower  part  of  the  town. 

There  were  at  the  time  one  thousand  Hessians  in  Trenton,  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Rail.  On  the  night  before,  he  was  playing 
cards  and  drinking  whiskey  with  Abraham  Hunt,  whose  house  he  made 
his  headquarters.  In  the  midst  of  the  game,  a  messenger  appeared 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


"  SEE  THE  OLD  CONTINENTALS, 
IN  THEIR  RAGGED  REGIMENTALS" 

at  the  door  and  sent  in  a  letter  to  the  German  commander.  The 
latter  shoved  it  into  his  pocket,  intending  to  read  it  when  the  game 
was  finished,  but  forgot  to  do  so.  Had  he  opened  the  letter,  he 
would  have  found  that  it  was  from  a  Tory,  warning  him  that  the 
Americans  were  approaching  the  town.  When  Rail  heard  the  rattle 
of  musketry  and  the  roar  of  cannon,  he  rushed  out  and  made  a  brave 
effort  to  rally  his  men,  but  he  was  soon  mortally  wounded,  and,  after 
a  brisk  resistance,  his  troops  were  forced  to  surrender,  a  few  escap 
ing  in  the  direction  of  Bordentown.  Supported  between  two  of  his 
men,  Rail  painfully  made  his  way  to  where  Washington  was  seated 


The  Bat 
tle  of 
Trenton 


470  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 

PERIOD  in    on  his  horse,  and  handed  him  his  sword,  begging  him  to  show  con- 
AND  FR!N?E  ^deration  to  his  men.     Washington  called  upon  him,  as  he  lay  dying 
AMERICA     *n  ^Q  house  to  which  he  had  been  carried,  and  expressed  his  sym- 
T758       pathy  for  his  hapless  condition. 

1783  It  seems  odd  to  refer  to  the  affair  at  Trenton  as  a  battle,  when 

the  Americans  lost  but  four  men,  two  of  whom  were  frozen  to  death ; 
The       but  it  was  in  reality  one  of  the  most  important  conflicts  of  the  Revo- 
Point  of   lution.     By  many  it  is  considered  the  turning-point  of  the  struggle. 
thf  ?*6V"    ^6  blow  fell  so  quick  and  so  sharp,  and  so  brilliant  and  unexpected 
were  its  results,  that  it  thrilled  the  country  with  new  hope.     Enlist 
ments  quickly  increased,  and  everywhere  there  was  a  brightening  of 
faces  and  a  stronger  resolve  to  win  the  cherished  independence. 

Having  taken  his  prisoners  into  Pennsylvania,  Washington  re- 
crossed  the  Delaware  to  Trenton.  When  this  became  known,  Corn- 
wallis  hastened  to  the  town,  and  it  looked  as  if  the  Americans  were 
being  caught  in  a  trap,  from  which  they  could  not  escape.  The  river 
was  so  full  of  masses  of  ice,  grinding  and  crushing  together,  that  it 
was  impossible  to  force  a  way  through  it  again.  In  front  was  the 
superior  force  of  Cornwallis,  who  went  to  bed  that  night  so  sure  of 
"  bagging  the  fox"  that  he  had  made  his  preparations  to  return  to 
England,  where  he  expected  to  report  that  the  war  was  ended. 

At  nightfall,  with  only  the  Assunpink  Creek  flowing  between  the 
two  opposing  forces,  Washington  lit  his  camp-fires  and  kept  them 
brightly  burning  and  his  sentinels  pacing  back  and  forth,  as  if  all 
were  in  readiness  for  the  events  of  the  morrow.  During  the  hours  of 
darkness,  however,  he  was  marching  silently  by  a  roundabout  course 
to  Princeton,  ten  miles  to  the  north.  That  town  was  held  by  three 
regiments  of  infantry  and  three  troops  of  dragoons,  beside  which  a 
large  quantity  of  supplies  and  munitions  of  war  were  stored  there. 
The  rear-guard  of  the  British  army  was  at  Lawrenceville,  about  half 
way  between  Princeton  and  Trenton.  The  Americans  reached  the 
The  Bat-  bridge  at  Stony  Brook,  three  miles  from  Princeton,  at  sunrise.  There 
pV'6  °f-  *key  made  a  short  cut,  while  General  Mercer  took  possession  of  the 
ton  bridge  at  the  main  road.  The  British  forces,  under  Colonel  Maw- 
hood,  had  just  begun  their  movement  towards  Trenton,  when  they 
came  upon  the  detachment  under  General  Mercer  at  the  bridge.  A 
sharp  fire  was  opened  between  the  two  forces,  when  the  British 
charged  with  the  bayonet,  of  which  the  patriots  were  destitute.  Gen 
eral  Mercer  refused  to  surrender  after  being  unhorsed  and  was 


4/2 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 


PERIOD   III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Wash 
ington  in 
Winter 
Quar 
ters 


Nathan 

Hale  the 

Martyr 


bayoneted,  while  his  command  was  put  to  flight,  but  the  enemy  was 
quickly  checked  by  the  regulars  under  Washington,  who  exposed 
himself  with  great  daring.  The  British  opened  with  their  artil 
lery  and  made  a  desperate  effort  to  capture  two  cannon.  Fighting 
fiercely,  and  with  the  aid  of  his  bayonets,  Colonel  Mawhood  forced 
his  way  to  the  main  road  and  retreated  towards  Trenton.  The  Fifty- 
fifth  British  regiment  was  routed,  and  a  part  of  the  Fortieth  took 
refuge  in  Nassau  Hall,  where  it  surrendered  on  the  approach  of  the 
Americans.  About  thirty  patriots  were  killed  or  wounded  in  the 
battle,  while  the  enemy  lost  two  hundred  killed  and  two  hundred  and 
thirty  prisoners. 

Cornwallis  upon  hearing  the  connonading  made  all  haste  to 
Princeton,  but  he  arrived  too  late.  Washington  was  already  march 
ing  away  from  the  town.  Cornwallis,  however,  pressed  the  pursuit, 
but  finding  the  bridge  at  Kingston  destroyed,  returned,  afterwards 
making  his  way  to  Brunswick  (now  New  Brunswick),  to  protect  the 
valuable  stores  there.  Washington  withdrew  to  Morristown,  where 
he  went  into  winter  quarters  and  remained  until  May. 

History  affords  no  more  touching  story  of  exalted  patriotism  than 
that  of  Captain  Nathan  Hale,  the  "  martyr  spy  of  the  Revolution." 
He  was  born  at  Coventry,  Connecticut,  in  1755,  and  was  graduated  at 
Yale  before  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  While  at  college,  he  was 
noted  for  his  extraordinary  athletic  skill.  One  of  his  leaps  on  the 
New  Haven  green  so  far  surpassed  all  others  that  for  years  it  was  in 
closed  within  boundary  marks.  He  was  in  person  handsome,  and  had 
a  winning  manner.  He  was  teaching  school  at  New  London  and  pre 
paring  to  enter  the  ministry  when  news  came  of  the  battle  of  Lexing 
ton.  He  enlisted  at  once  and  persuaded  many  others  to  do  so.  The 
next  morning  he  was  on  the  road  to  Boston,  and  not  long  afterwards 
we  find  him  a  commissioned  lieutenant  in  the  regiment  of  Colonel 
Webb,  which  was  employed  in  guarding  the  sea-coast  in  the  vicinity 
of  New  London.  Later  on,  the  regiment  joined  Washington  in  the 
siege  of  Boston,  and  Hale  became  noted  alike  for  his  vigilance  and 
his  daring.  Before  the  end  of  the  year,  he  was  promoted  to  a  cap 
taincy.  His  company  in  drill  and  discipline  had  no  superior  in  the 
service.  The  terms  of  his  men  expiring  shortly  after  the  battle  of 
Long  Island,  he  gave  up  his  own  pay  in  order  to  persuade  them  to 
re-enlist.  In  the  spring  of  1 776,  he  led  a  small  body  of  spirits  as 
daring  as  himself,  and  in  a  small  row-boat,  and  in  the  darkness  of 


CHAP.   XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


473 


THE  BATTLE  OF  PRINCETON 


night,  boarded  and  captured  a  British  vessel,  moored  within  a  few    PERIOD  in 
rods  of  a  sixty-four-gun  ship,  held  the  crew  prisoners   in  the  hold, 
and  brought  the  vessel  to  the  wharf. 

The  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1776,  as  has  been  shown,  was  a 
period  of  intense  anxiety  to  Washington.  The  patriots  had  suffered 
a  disastrous  defeat  on  Long  Island,  and  the  main  army  had  difficulty 
in  escaping  to  Manhattan  Island.  The  gloomiest  period  of  the  war 


IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


was  at  hand.      Desertions   were  numerous,  food  and  clothing  were    Anxiety 
scarce,  and  with  the  increasing  sickness  there  was  much  dissatisfac-        ton 
tion   among   the   men   because  of   the  failure  to  receive   their  pay. 
The  total  army  numbered  hardly  fourteen  thousand  men.     Opposed 
to  them  was  the  British  army  of  twenty-five  thousand,  in  superb  con 
dition,  under  the  command  of  Lord  Howe.     They  were  posted  across 
East  River,  stretching  from   Bay  Ridge  eastward  as  far  as   Green- 
point,  with  posts  at  Bedford,  Bushwick,  and  Flushing,  and  with  their 
warships  riding  at  anchor  in   New  York  Bay.     Washington  almost 
felt  that  the  existence  of  his  army  and  the  success  of  independence 


474 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxii 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Patriot 
ism  of 
Hale 


depended  upon  acquiring  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  forces  of 
Howe,  their  disposition,  and,  if  possible,  that  leader's  intended 
movements.  There  was  but  one  way  in  which  this  could  be  done : 

by  sending  a  spy  into  the  lines  .of 
the  enemy,  in  the  person  of  a  man 
bright,  cool-headed,  intelligent,  alert, 
resourceful,  and  of  dauntless  courage, 
for,  it  may  be  said,  the  risk  was  so 
great  that  there  was  not  one  chance 
in  ten  of  success.  Colonel  Knowl- 
ton,  to  whom  Washington  stated  the 
case,  agreed  with  him  and  set  out  to 
find  the  man.  Selecting  the  most  dar 
ing  members  of  his  regiment,  he  laid 
the  matter  before  them  and  urged 
each  to  take  the  risk.  Without  ex 
ception  every  one  declined,  until  Cap 
tain  Hale  was  reached.  He  volun 
teered  without  a  moment's  hesitation, 
went  to  Washington,  received  his  full 
instructions  and  set  out  upon  his  dan 
gerous  mission.  He  secured  a  school 
teacher's  garb  and  left  the  camp  at 
Harlem  Heights.  He  made  his  way 
to  Norwalk,  where  he  took  off  his 
uniform  and  put  on  a  brown  suit  and 
a  broad-brimmed  hat.  A  sloop  took 
him  across  the  Sound,  and  before  it 
was  daylight,  he  landed  on  the  point 
of  Great  Neck,  in  Huntington  Bay, 
which  projects  farthest  into  the 
water.  He  passed  the  day  and  night 

with  Willliam  Johnson  at  his  farm  near  by,  and  then  boldly  entered  the 
enemy's  lines.  What  he  did,  where  he  went,  what  devices  he  adopted 
and  what  adventures  befell  him  up  to  the  time  of  his  capture,  of  course, 
can  never  be  known.  He  was  absent  two  weeks,  during  which  time 
it  is  known  he  visited  all  the  encampments  in  and  near  Brooklyn.  He 
passed  the  enemy's  lines  twice.  When  his  work  was  finished  in  New 
York,  he  crossed  to  Brooklyn,  it  is  believed  near  South  Ferry,  and 


NATHAN  HALE  AS  A  SPY 


CHAP.  XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


475 


threaded  his  way  through  the  lines  to  Huntington.  Accounts  differ 
as  to  the  precise  manner  in  which  he  was  captured ;  but  the  common 
belief  is  that  while  he  was  sitting  in  widow  Chichester's  tavern,  in 
Huntington,  a  Tory  relative  entered  and  recognized  him.  Hale  was 
waiting  for  his  comrades'  boat  and  did  not  know  his  peril.  The  Tory 
betrayed  him  to  a  British  naval  officer,  whose  vessel  lay  in  Hunting- 
ton  Bay.  Hale  walked  down  to  the  Point  and  seeing  a  boat  approach- 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

I75S 

TO 

1783 


Capture 

of  Hale 


THE  CAPTURE   OF  NATHAN   HALE 

ing  stepped  into  the  water  to  leap  into  it.  At  that  moment,  a  British  Capture 
officer  sprang  up  and  ordered  him  to  surrender,  several  marines  at  the 
same  instant  covering  him  with  their  guns.  Hale  started  to  run  up 
the  bank,  when  the  officer  called  again  to  him  to  surrender.  Look 
ing  back,  Hale  saw  there  was  no  chance  of  escape.  He  quietly 
walked  back,  stepped  into  the  boat  (which  he  had  supposed  was  a 
friendly  one,  until  the  officer  and  the  marines  rose  to  view)  and  was 
rowed  out  to  the  ship  Halifax.  There  he  was  searched  and  the  fatal 
papers  were  found  between  the  soles  of  his  shoes. 

He  was  taken  back  to  New  York,  where  he  arrived   September 


4/6 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Brutal 
Treat 
ment  of 
Hale 


Execu 
tion  of 
Hale 


2 1  st.  On  that  day  occurred  a  great  fire,  which  burned  four  hundred 
dwellings,  from  Whitehall  Slip  to  Barclay  Street.  He  was  taken 
before  Lord  Howe,  who  examined  the  plans  and  memoranda  found  in 
Hale's  shoes.  The  prisoner  denied  nothing.  He  said  he  was  a  cap 
tain  in  Washington's  army,  had  been  in  the  British  lines  as  a  spy, 
did  not  desire  a  court-martial,  and  was  sorry  he  had  been  prevented 
from  getting  the  information  gained  to  Washington.  He  was  sen 
tenced  to  be  hanged  on  the  following  morning,  and  was  at  once  de 
livered  over  to  the  brutal  William  Cunningham,  Provost-Marshal  of 
the  royal  army  in  New  York.  This  Cunningham,  it  is  a  relief  to 
state,  was  himself  afterwards  hanged ;  and  the  miscreant  got  his  due, 
for  he  confessed  that  he  had  been  accessory  to  several  hundred 
murders.  It  was  he  who  was  responsible  for  the  frightful  sufferings 
of  the  Federal  prisoners  confined  in  the  old  Sugar  House  prison,  in 
Rose  Street,  which  was  torn  down  only  a  few  years  ago.  He  threw 
Hale  into  a  prison  cell,  refused  to  unpinion  his  arms,  and  cursed  him 
when  he  asked  for  writing  materials,  a  light,  and  a  Bible,  After 
wards,  however,  an  officer  of  Hale's  guard  interceded  and  secured 
these  favors  for  him. 

Hale  spent  a  part  of  the  night  in  writing, — one  letter  to  his  aged 
mother,  and  the  other  to  Miss  Hannah  Adams,  of  Coventry,  to  whom 
he  was  engaged  in  marriage.  Then  he  read  his  Bible  and  gave  his 
thoughts  to  the  great  change  so  close  at  hand.  Cunningham  entered 
the  cell  at  daybreak  and  found  Hale  ready.  He  handed  the  Provost 
Marshal  the  two  letters  he  had  written  and  asked  as  a  dying  favor 
that  they  might  be  forwarded  to  their  destination.  Cunningham 
opened  both,  read  them  through,  and  then  with  an  oath  tore  them  in 
pieces  and  threw  them  on  the  floor.  When  afterwards  asked  why  he 
committed  this  brutality,  he  replied  that  he  did  not  wish  the  rebels 
to  know  that  they  had  a  man  who  could  die  with  such  firmness. 
While  standing  with  the  noose  around  his  neck,  Cunningham  scoff- 
ingly  told  the  prisoner  that  then  was  his  chance  to  make  his  dying 
speech  and  confession.  Hale  gave  him  one  look  of  dignified  con 
tempt,  and  with  a  depth  of  feeling  and  a  touching  pathos  which 
melted  several  of  the  bystanders  to  tears,  said,  amid  the  awed  hush : 

"  My  only  regret  is  that  I  have  but  one  life  to  give  for  my 
country." 

"  Swing  off  the  rebel !"  commanded  Cunningham.  Half  an  hour 
later,  the  body  of  the  martyr  was  buried,  probably  in  a  grave  dug 


CHAP.   XXXII 


EVENTS    OF    1776 


477 


beneath  the  gallows,  though  it  was  unmarked,  and  its  whereabouts  PER 
has  never  become  known. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  1893,  a  statue  of  Hale  was  unveiled 
in  City  Hall  Park,  New  York,  with  impressive  ceremonies,  in  the 
presence  of  an  immense  assemblage.  No  wonder  that  more  than  one 
eye  flashed  with  indignation  at  the  thought  that,  only  a  few  years 


in 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCB 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1733 


THE  HALE  STATUE  IN  CITY  HALL  PARK,  N.  Y. 

before,  a  handsome  monument  had  been  erected  in  this  country  to  Tributes 
the  memory  of  Major  Andre,  an  Englishman,  who  strove  to  overthrow  Memory 
the  cause  of  independence  in  this  country,  while  this  martyr,  who  °*  Hale 
gave  his  life  for  the  sacred  cause,  sleeps  in  an  unknown  grave. 

The  late  Henry  J.  Raymond  declared  that  Nathan  Hale  furnished 
the  most  conspicuous  example  of  patriotism  that  the  history  of  the 
Revolution  has  left  us.  "  The  equal  of  Andre  in  talent,  worth,  and 


4/8 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxn 


in 


AMERICA 


1783 


amiable  manners,  and  his  superior  in  that  final  test  of  character  —  the 
motive  by  which  his  acts  were  prompted  and  his  life  guided  —  he  laid 
aside  every  consideration  personal  to  himself  and  entered  upon  a 
service  of  infinite  hazard  to  life  because  Washington  deemed  it  im- 
portant  to  the  sacred  cause.  Like  Andre,  he  was  found  in  a  hostile 
camp  ;  like  him,  though  without  a  trial,  he  was  adjudged  a  spy,  con 
demned  to  death,  and  hanged." 

President   Dwight,  of   Yale   College,  who  knew  Hale   intimately 
and  loved  him,  wrote  : 

"  Thus,  while  fond  Virtue  wished  to  save, 
Hale,  bright  and  generous,  found  a  hopeless  grave, 
With  Genius'  living  flame  his  bosom  glowed, 
And  science  lured  him  to  her  sweet  abode  : 
In  Worth's  fair  path  his  feet  adventured  far, 
The  pride  of  Peace,  the  rising  star  of  War  ; 
In  duty  firm,  in  danger  calm  as  even  — 
No  friends,  unchanging,  and  sincere  to  heaven. 
How  short  his  course!  the  prize  how  early  won! 
While  weeping  Friendship  mourns  her  favorite  son." 


CHAPTER    XXXIII 


EVENTS  OF  7777     (BURGOYNE'S  CAMPAIGN} 

[Authorities  :  The  present  chapter  fitly  opens  with  an  account  of  the  origin  and  first 
flinging  to  the  breeze  on  the  field  of  war  of  the  now  glorious  national  emblem,  which  was 
soon,  and  in  a  notable  degree,  to  be  the  augur  of  victory.  Under  the  unfurled  banner, 
the  tide  of  fortune  turned  in  favor  of  the  Continental  arms  in  northern  New  York, 
where  the  English  general,  Burgoyne,  after  repeated  discomfitures,  was  forced  to  surren 
der  with  6,000  men  at  Saratoga.  Gloom  elsewhere  was,  however,  falling  on  the  country, 
as  the  result  of  Cornwallis'  taking  possession  of  Philadelphia  and  the  victories  of  Howe 
at  Brandywine  Creek  and  Germantown.  The  prospect  was  nevertheless  brightened  by 
the  continued  successes  of  the  United  States  flag  at  sea,  and  by  the  promised  aid  from 
France.  The  authorities  are  the  same  as  those  cited  in  the  two  previous  chapters,  to 
which  maybe  added  Burgoyne's  Narrative  of  his  Campaign;  Beach's  "  Centennial  Cele 
brations  of  the  State  of  New  York  "  (Albany,  1879);  Benjamin  Franklin's  Works;  and, 
fora  narrative  of  the  naval  successes  of  the  year,  Maclay's  "  History  of  the  United  States 
Navy."] 

|LD  GLORY,"  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  was  born  on  the 
1 4th  of  June,  1777,  on  which  day  Congress  patri 
otically  resolved :  "  That  the  flag  of  the  United 
States  be  thirteen  stripes,  alternate  red  and  white ; 
the  union  be  thirteen  stars,  white  in  a  blue  field, 
presenting  a  new  constellation."  It  has  never 
been  known  to  what  influence  we  were  indebted  for 
the  selection  of  the  stars  and  stripes  in  our  flag.  Some  have  thought 
that  the  stripes  were  of  Dutch  origin,  for  they  occur  in  Dutch  armo 
rial  bearings,  while  others  suspect  that  they  were  introduced  as  a 
compliment  to  Washington,  on  whose  coat-of-arms  both  the  stripes 
and  stars  appear ;  but  there  is  no  tangible  evidence  that  either  sup 
position  is  correct.  The  Father  of  his  Country,  nevertheless,  had 


Birth  of 
"Old 
Glory  " 


48o  HISTORY    OF   THE   UNITED    STATES    CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD^III    mucn  to  cjo  with  designing  the  first   Stars  and  Stripes.      It  was  he, 
ANDFRAN'CE  assisted  by  a  committee  appointed  by  Congress,  who  directed  the 
AMERICA     preparation  of  the  first  design.     They  called  upon  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
I7|8       Ross,  in  Philadelphia,  some  time  between  May  23d  and  June  7th, 
1783       1777,  with  the  request  that  she  should  prepare  the  flag.     Her  house, 
239  Arch  Street,  is,  we  believe,  still  standing  at  this  writing.     Wash- 


in^  was  in&ton  ^ad  a  rough  draft,  in  which  the  stars  were  six-pointed.  Mrs. 
Fash-  Ross  proved  that  five-pointed  ones  would  look  better,  and  her  sug 
gestion  was  adopted.  She  had  the  flag  finished  by  the  next  day,  and 
it  was  received  with  great  admiration  wherever  displayed.  She  was 
manufacturer  of  flags  for  the  government  for  many  years,  her  chil 
dren  afterwards  succeeding  to  the  business. 

The  flag  of  1777  differed  from  that  of  to-day  only  in  that  it  had 
but  thirteen  stars  in  the  field,  which  were  arranged  in  the  form  of  a 
circle.  The  blue  field,  it  is  believed,  was  taken  from  the  banner  of 
the  Scotch  Covenanters,  to  signify  the  league  and  covenant  of  the 
united  colonies  against  oppression,  and  symbolizing  vigilance,  perse 
verance,  and  justice.  Previous  to  this,  the  patriots  had  fought  under 
a  variety  of  flags.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  the  standard 
of  Great  Britain  was  used,  each  colony  adding  some  local  design. 
Massachusetts  used  the  pine-tree  on  her  flags  and  coins,  while  the 
armed  ships  of  New  York  flew  a  white  flag,  inscribed  with  a  black 
beaver,  an  emblem  that  now  figures  on  the  arms  of  the  State. 

Probably  no  colors  were  carried  by  the  staunch  old  patriots    at 

Lexington,  but  it  was  not  long  before  they  adopted  a  flag  with  the 

arms  of   Connecticut,  bearing  the   motto  :     Qui  trans  tulit  sustinet, 

First      ("  ^e  w^°  transplanted  still  sustains.")     Tradition  has  it  that  at  the 

Flags     battle  of  Bunker  Hill  a  large  red  flag  was  displayed  with  the  defiant 

taunt,  "  Come,  if  you  dare."     A  flag  that  was  well  known  in  those 

days  was  of  blue,   with  a  field  of  white,  quartered    by  a  red   St. 

George's  cross. 

The  "  Grand  Union  Flag"  was  hoisted  January  2d,  1776.  Its  field 
was  composed  of  the  crosses  of  St.  George  and  St.  Andrew,  as  shown 
on  the  British  banner,  but  the  fly  was  made  up  of  thirteen  stripes, 
alternately  red  and  white.  This  flag  was  raised  on  the  American 
camp  at  Cambridge,  and  was  greeted  with  hearty  cheers  and  a  salute 
of  thirteen  guns.  It  was  probably  displayed  also  in  the  City  Hall 
Park,  Boston,  July  Qth,  1776,  when  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
was  read  in  the  presence  of  General  Washington. 


CHAP.  XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


481 


The  two  flags  most  used  in  colonial  days  were  of  the  pine-tree 
and  rattlesnake  pattern.  The  pine-tree  was  taken  from  the  flag  of 
Massachusetts,  and  the  motto,  "  An  Appeal  to  Heaven,"  added  to  it. 
More  famous  was  the  rattlesnake  flag,  which  originated  with 
Franklin,  twenty  years  before  the  Revolution,  when  he  was  editor 
of  the  Philadelphia  Gazette.  In  an  earnest  appeal  for  a  union  of  the 
colonies  against  the  attacks  of  the  French,  he  showed  a  wood-cut, 
representing  a  snake  separated  into  parts,  each  part  marked  with  the 
initials  of  one  of  the  colonies,  and  underneath  the  motto  :  "  Join  or 
Die,"  or,  "Unite  or  Die."  The  design  came  into  general  promi 
nence  later  on,  when  it  was  divided  into  thirteen  parts. 

On  February  Qth,  1776,  Colonel  Gadsden  presented  to  Congress 
"  an  elegant  standard,  such  as  is  to  be  used  by  the  commander-in-chief 
of  the  American  navy."  It  was  of  a  bright  yellow  color,  the  centre 
bearing  the  "  lively  representation  of  a  rattlesnake  in  the  attitude  of 
preparing  to  strike."  The  motto  beneath  was :  "  Don't  tread  on 
me."  Congress  adopted  the  design,  which  was  afterwards  varied, 
the  snake  being  used  upon  a  field  of  thirteen  red  and  white  stripes, 
and  also  upon  thirteen  red  and  blue  stripes,  in  which  cases  the  snake 
was  shown  as  "  undulating  across  the  field." 

The  first  independence  flag  displayed  in  South  Carolina  was  at 
the  taking  of  Fort  Jackson,  on  James  Island,  September  I3th,  1775. 
It  was  of  blue,  with  a  white  crescent  in  one  corner.  This  was  the 
flag  rescued  by  Sergeant  Jasper  in  the  attack  of  June  28th,  1776. 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  was  carried  in  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  Sep 
tember  nth,  1777,  eight  days  after  the  official  promulgation  of  the 
flag  at  Philadelphia.  One  of  the  first  conflicts  in  which  it  was  dis 
played  was  at  the  siege  of  Fort  Stanwix,  August  2d,  1777.  There 
was  no  flag  in  the  fort  when  the  enemy  appeared,  but  knowing  the 
pattern  adopted,  one  was  constructed  from  the  crude  materials  on 
hand.  This  interesting  relic  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Abram 
Lansing,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  a  descendant  of  General  Gansevoort. 
The  first  British  surrender  graced  by  the  Stars  and  Stripes  was  at 
Saratoga,  October  I7th,  1777. 

An  important  change  was  ordered  by  Congress,  to  take  effect 
May  ist,  1795.  Then  and  after  the  flag  was  to  contain  fifteen  stars 
and  fifteen  stripes,  one  of  each  to  be  added  with  the  admission  of 
every  new  State.  The  two  were  displayed  because  of  the  admission 
of  Vermont  and  Kentucky.  The  Constitution,  known  as  Old  Iron- 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


The 

Naval 

Flag 


An  Im 
portant 
Change 
in  Our 
Flag 


482  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  s^eSf  was  the  first  ship  to  carry  the  fif teen-starred -and-striped  ban- 

AND^RANCE  ner  to  sea  under  canvas.     It  soon  became  evident  that,  with  the 

AMERICA     continual  addition  of  new  States,  the  beautiful  symmetry  of  the  flag 

f£5        would  in  time  be  destroyed.     At  the  suggestion  of  Capt.  S.  C.  Reid, 

1783       commander  of  the  famous  privateer   General  Armstrong,  Congress, 

April   4th,  1818,  restored   the  number  of    stripes  to   thirteen,   and 

ordered  that  a  new  star  should  be  added  on  the  4th  of  July  succeeding 

the  admission  of  every  new  State.     The  wife  of  Captain  Reid  made 

the  first  flag,  with  the  old  number  of  stripes,  and  with  twenty  stars 

arranged  in  the  form  of  a  large  star. 

Although  we  are  one  of  the  youngest  of  nations,  our  flag  is  among 

The  f  the  oldest.     The  flag  of  Great  Britain,  as  it  at  present  appears,  was 

Other      adopted  in  1801  ;  that  of  Spain  in  1785,  while  the  tri-color  of  France, 

a  lons    also  of  red,  white,  and  blue,  took  form  in   1794.     Portugal  did  not 

adopt  its  present  flag  until   1830,  Italy  in   1848,  and  the  German 

Empire  in   1871.     Our  banner,  it  may  moreover  be  said,  has  been 

through  more  battles  and  has  waved  over  more  victories  on  land  and 

sea  than  any  other  flag  in  the  world.     No  European  flag  has  had 

so  many  die  in  its  defence.     More  than  a  million  men  have  laid 

down  their  lives  that  "  Old  Glory"  should  float  aloft,  and  millions 

more  stand  ready  to-day  to  rush  to  its  defence  against  assault  from 

any  and  every  quarter. 

Returning  to  our  history  of  the  events  of  1777,  the  British  gov- 
The  ernment  formed  a  plan  for  crushing  the  rebellion  by  means  of  the 
ab?e  Brit-  most  formidable  campaign  that  had  yet  been  undertaken.  This  was 
ish  Cam-  to  open  communication  between  New  York  and  Canada  and  cut  off 
New  England  from  the  other  States,  by  sending  General  Burgoyne, 
with  seven  thousand  Hessians,  including  a  corps  of  artillery,  down 
the  Hudson  to  Albany,  where  he  was  to  be  met  by  a  large  force  from 
New  York.  At  the  same  time,  Colonel  Barry  St.  Leger  (saint 
led'  jer]  was  to  ascend  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Lake  Ontario  and  advance 
to  Albany  by  way  of  the  Mohawk  River.  At  Crown  Point,  Burgoyne 
enlisted  a  large  number  of  Indians,  while  St.  Leger  had  other  Indians 
and  many  Tories  under  his  command.  The  convergence  of  these 
three  armies  would  make  an  irresistible  force,  in  the  form  of  a  vast 
wedge  thrust  between  New  England  and  the  remaining  colonies,  per 
manently  separating  them  and  insuring  the  conquest  of  the  country ; 
but  what  great  events  flow  from  slight  causes !  One  of  the  failures 


CHAP.  XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


483 


in  this  great  campaign  was  due  to  the  blunder  of  a  copyist.  The 
campaign  was  planned  in  London,  whence  orders  were  sent  out  for 
the  advance  of  Burgoyne's  and  St.  Leger's  forces  from  Canada.  At 
first,  Sir  William  Howe  was  simply  informed  of  the  plan,  and  was 
given  discretionary  powers.  Then  a  despatch  was  drafted,  ordering 
him  to  co-operate  in  the  movement  from  New  York.  *  A  clerk  made 
a  copy  of  the  despatch  for  Lord  George  Germaine,  but  it  was  so  care 
lessly  written,  and  contained  so  many  erasures,  that  the  minister 
angrily  ordered  him  to  make  another  copy  free  of  mistakes.  While 
he  was  doing  so,  Lord  George  went  to  his  country  seat,  and  was  not 
on  hand  when  the  carefully  written  paper  was  ready  for  his  signa 
ture.  It  was  laid  away,  and  when  the  minister  returned,  it  seems 
that  he  forgot  about  it.  It  was  not  sent  to  America  for  a  long 
time, — and  then  too  late  to  be  of  any  service.  Sir  William  Howe, 
being  left  with  discretionary  powers,  confined  his  attentions  to 
Washington's  army  near  Philadelphia,  and  took  no  part  in  the  co 
operating  movement  with  Burgoyne.  The  reason  why  Howe  failed 
to  send  an  army  up  the  Hudson  to  Albany  was  a  puzzle  to  the  others 
who  took  part.  Lord  Germaine,  conscious  of  his  blame  in  the  mat 
ter,  kept  the  secret,  and  it  is  only  within  the  last  few  years  that  the 
true  explanation  came  to  light. 

While  the  armies  of  Washington  and  Howe  were  preparing  for 
offensive  movements,  each  sent  out  detachments  to  strike  blows,  as 
opportunity  offered.  The  American  General  McDougall,  stationed 
at  Peekskill,  burned  the  property  there  and  retreated  before  the  ap 
proach  of  a  strong  force.  -  General  Lincoln, -at  Bound  Brook,  New 
Jersey,  after  the  loss  of  more  than  fifty  men,  narrowly,  escaped  cap 
ture  by  a  large  body  of  troops,  despatched  by  Cornwallis  from  Bruns 
wick. 

Governor  Tryon  was,  as  we  have  seen,  a  bitter  enemy  to  the  cause 
of  American  independence.  He  urged  the  employment  of  the  most 
ferocious  and  intractable  of  the  Indians,  in  order  to  strike  terror 
among  the  rebels.  Nothing  suited  this  brutal  officer  better  than  to 
harry  the  patriots  in  every  manner  possible.  In  the  latter  part  of 
April,  1777,  he  sailed  up  the  East  River  with  a  force  of  two  thou 
sand  men,  part  of  whom  were  Tories,  and,  passing  through  Long 
Island  Sound,  landed  on  the  Connecticut  shore  and  marched  towards 
Danbury,  where  the  Americans  had  collected  a  large  quantity  of 
stores.  These  were  destroyed,  the  town  burned,  and  the  people 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


The   Re 
sult  of  a 
Clerical 
Error 


Gov. 
Tryon's 
Brutal 
ity 


484  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 


PERIOD  in  treated  with  great  cruelty.     The  militia  flew  to  arms,  and,  under  the 
leadership  of  Arnold,  Wooster,  and  others,  they  attacked  the  invaders 


AMERICA  so  impetuously  that  Tryon  made  haste  to  retreat  before  his  escape 
should  be  cut  off.  Near  Ridgefield,  a  sharp  conflict  took  place,  and 
General  Wooster  was  killed.  Arnold's  horse  was  shot,  and,  as  it  fell, 
the  rider's  foot  was  caught  in  the  stirrup  and  he  was  thrown  with 
his  steed.  While  he  was  trying  to  disengage  himself,  a  Tory  ran  up 
to  him  with  fixed  bayonet. 

"Surrender!"   he  commanded;  "you're  my  prisoner." 
Gal-  At  this  moment,  Arnold  freed  his  foot  and  sprang  erect. 

Arnold  "  Not  yet,"  he  replied,  levelling  his  pistol  and  shooting  the  Tory 
dead.  Then  the  daring  officer  ran  for  the  woods  not  far  off.  The 
bullets  were  whistling  about  his  ears,  and  several  passed  through 
his  clothing,  but  he  was  unhurt,  and,  plunging  among  the  trees,  was 
safe  for  the  time.  The  gallantry  shown  by  Arnold  in  this  fight 
incited  Congress  to  present  him  with  a  fine  horse,  in  lieu  of  the  one 
he  lost,  together  with  rich  trappings  for  it,  and  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  he  won  the  gift.  The  invaders  lost  three  times  as  many  men 
on  this  raid  as  did  the  Americans.  Meanwhile,  the  latter  indulged 
In  a  number  of  retaliatory  raids.  In  the  succeeding  month,  Colonel 
Meigs  crossed  Long  Island  Sound,  with  a  hundred  and  seventy  men 
in  whaleboats,  from  Guilford,  Connecticut,  and  burned  a  dozen 
vessels  at  Sag  Harbor  and  took  nearly  a  hundred  prisoners,  without 
losing  a  man. 

Daring         It  was   General  Prescott,  it  will  be  remembered,  who  put   Ethan 

of  Gen.  Allen  in  irons  and  sent  him  to  England  to  be  tried  for  treason.  This 
Prescott  offtcer  made  his  headquarters  at  the  house  of  a  Quaker,  a  few  miles 
from  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  near  the  shores  of  Narragansett  Bay. 
Lieutenant-  Colonel  Barton,  of  Providence,  with  several  picked  men, 
crossed  the  bay  from  Warwick  Point  in  four  small  boats,  passing 
stealthily  among  the  British  vessels  without  discovery,  and  made  his 
way  to  the  farmhouse  where  Prescott  was  staying.  The  night  was 
dark,  and,  while  most  of  the  men  stayed  behind  at  a  safe  distance, 
the  colonel,  with  several  companions,  including  a  burly  negro,  silently 
approached  the  house.  A  sentinel  was  seen  at  the  gate,  but  he  did 
not  suspect  danger,  and  was  seized  before  he  could  give  the  alarm. 
Colonel  Barton  took  the  musket  from  his  hands  and  told  him  that  if 
he  made  any  noise  he  would  be  instantly  killed.  Then  they  softly 
entered  the  dwelling.  It  was  quite  late,  and  the  only  person  about 


CHAP.   XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


485 


was  the  Quaker,  who  sat  in  his  chair  reading.      He  calmly  surveyed  PERIOD  in 

his  visitors  as  they  gently  pushed  open  the  door  and  showed  no  sign  ENGLAND 

of  alarm  at  the  visit.  t   "* 

AMERICA 

"Where    is    General     Prescott?"  asked    Colonel    Barton,    in    a  1758 

.  TO 

whisper.  1783 
The  "  Friend"  pointed  upward,  without  speaking.      Barton  nodded 


UNLOCKING  THE 


his  head,  and,  passing  into  the  hall,  cautiously  ascended  the  stairs, 
with  the  negro  behind  him.  The  door  of  Prescott's  room  was 
locked,  and  Barton  stood  for  a  moment  in  some  perplexity. 

"How  shall  we  get  that  open,"  he  asked  in  an  undertone,  "with 
out  alarming  him?" 

"  Does  yo'  want  dat  doah  opened  quick?"  whispered  the  grinning 
African. 


486 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 


•PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


Ex 
change 
of  Gen. 
Prescott 
for  Gen. 

Lee 


Move 
ments  of 
Bur 
goyne 


"  I  do,  if  it  can  be  done." 

"Watch  me." 

Stepping  back  a  pace,  the  negro  bent  his  head,  and  with  one 
powerful  thrust  drove  the  door  inward.  Prescott  leaped  from  his 
bed,  startled  by  the  shock,  only  to  find  himself  confronted  by  Colo 
nel  Barton,  with  drawn  sword,  who  announced  that  he  was  a  prisoner. 
He  was  assured  that  he  could  save  his  life  only  by  keeping  still.  He 
obeyed  arid  soon  after  was  landed  at  Warwick  Point.  Thence  he  was 
removed  in  a  carriage  to  Providence,  and  finally  sent  to  Washington, 
who  was  then  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  exchanged  for  General 
Charles  Lee.  This  daring  exploit  of  Barton's  received  the  tribute  of 
a  sword  from  Congress,  together  with  a  colonelcy  in  the  Continental 
army. 

Meanwhile,  Burgoyne's  invading  army  *  reached  Crown  Point  and 
threatened  Ticonderoga,  where  St.  Clair  was  in  command.  The 
British  force  now  numbered  seven  thousand  men,  and  he  had  a  con 
siderable  train  of  artillery.  St.  Clair's  troops  were  a  little  over  a 
third  of  those  of  Burgoyne,  but  he  was  hopeful  of  holding  him  at 
bay.  He  did  so  until  the  invaders  secured  command  of  his  position, 
when  he  evacuated  the  fort,  after  spiking  his  guns.  The  Americans 
were  hotly  pursued  and  a  number  captured,  but  St.  Clair,  with  nearly 
two  thousand  troops,  reached  Fort  Edward. 

The  loss   of  Ticonderoga,  with  close  upon  two  hundred  cannon 


*  "  The  Historic  Waters  of  Champlain,"  to  quote  the  words  of  George  William  Curtis 
at  the  Centennial  Celebration  at  Schuylerville,  October  iyth,  1877,  "have  never  seen  a 
spectacle  more  splendid  than  the  advancing  army — the  scarlet  host  of  Burgoyne.  The 
drums  of  the  King's  army  were  joyfully  beating  *in  the  summer  dawn  ;  the  bugles  rang, 
the  cannon  thundered,  the  rising  June  sun  shone  on  the  scarlet  coats  of  British  grenadiers, 
on  the  bright  helmets  of  German  dragoons,  and  on  burnished  artillery  and  polished  arms. 
The  trained  and  veteran  troops  were  admirably  equipped  and  commanded.  .  .  .  On  the 
ist  of  July,  the  brilliant  pageant  swept  up  Lake  Champlain  and  the  echoes  of  the  mighty 
wilderness  which  had  answered  the  guns  of  Amherst  and  the  drum-beat  of  Montcalm, 
saluted  the  transports  and  gunboats  that,  led  by  a  dusky  swarm  of  Indians  in  bark  canoes, 
stretched  between  the  eastern  shore,  along  which  Riedesel  and  the  Germans  marched, 
and  the  main  body  advancing  with  Phillips  upon  the  west.  .  .  .  To  us,  it  is  a  picture. 
But  to  know  what  it  truly  was,  let  the  happy  farmer  on  these  green  slopes  and  placid 
meadows  imagine  a  sudden  flight  to-night  with  all  he  loves  and  from  all  he  owns,  strug 
gling  up  steep  hills,  lost  in  tangled  woods,  crowding  along  difficult  roads,  at  every  step 
expecting  the  glistening  tomahawk,  the  bullet,  and  the  mercies  of  a  foreign  soldiery.  .  .  . 
We  come  with  song  and  speech  and  proud  commemoration  to  celebrate  the  triumph  of 
this  day  (the  surrender  of  Saratoga).  Let  us  not  forget  the  cost  of  that  triumph,  the  in 
finite  suffering  that  this  unchanging  sky  beheld  ;  the  torture  of  men  ;  the  heartbreak  of 
women  ;  the  terror  of  little  children,  that  paid  for  the  happiness  which  we  now  enjoy." 


CHAP,  xxxin                    EVENTS    OF  .  1777  487 

and  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  spread  dismay  through  out  the  coun-  PERIOD  in 

try,  and  Schuyler  (sky'  ler}  and  St.  Clair  were  strongly  condemned  by  Jf£p^°B 

those  who  did  not  wait  to  hear  the  particulars.     They  had  done  all  AM™ICA 

that  was  possible,  while  Congress  had  failed  to  send  the  reinforce-  J758 

ments  so  sorely  needed  by  the  patriots.     Washington,  at  any  rate,  1783 
understood  the  situation,  and  he  gave  both  officers  and  men  credit  for 
having  done  everything  that  lay  in  their  power.     He  saw  the  need  of 

checking  the  march  of  Burgoyne,  and,  though  he  could  ill-afford  to  At" 

deplete  his  own  army,  he  directed  that  a  part  of  the  troops  then  on  Check 


their  way  from  New  England  to  join  him,  should  ascend  the  Hudson 
and  give.  aid  to  Schuyler,  who  was  at  Saratoga  when  he  learned  of 
the  disaster  at  Ticonderoga.  He  lost  no  time  in  hastening  to  Fort 
Edward,  to  bring  together  the  scattered  troops  and  oppose  Burgoyne, 
who  was  issuing  boastful  proclamations  and  ordering  the  rebels  to 
submit.  When  Schuyler  had  gathered  every  available  man,  his  force 
was  less  than  one-half  that  of  Burgoyne,  but  with  that  he  destroyed 
the  bridges  and  placed  many  obstacles  in  the  path  of  the  invading 
army.  Burgoyne  advanced  cautiously,  for  the  British  at  New  York 
were  unable  to  send  garrisons  for  the  lake  forts,  and  his  own  Indians 
were  beginning  to  desert  him. 

At  Fort  Edward  occurred  the  touching  episode  of  the  death  of 
Jane  McCrea,  which  has  been  related  hundreds  of  times,  though  the 
versions  of  the  story  have  often  lacked  truth.  Miss  McCrea  was  a 
beautiful  young  woman,  engaged  in  marriage  to  a  member  of  Bur- 
goyne's  army,  and  was  visiting  Fort  Edward  at  the  time  of  the  ap 
proach  of  the  British  troops.  A  party  of  Indians  seized  her,  with 
the  design  of  carrying  her  into  the  British  camp  on  horseback.  A 
squad  of  Americans  started  in  pursuit,  and  upon  coming  in  sight  of 
the  Indians,  fired  a  volley.  One  of  the  bullets  struck  the  young  Death  of 
woman  and  she  fell  dead  from  her  horse.  The  Indians  then  scalped  Ja£e  Mc" 
her  and  carried  her  luxuriant  tresses  into  camp  as  a  trophy.  Her 
lover  was  so  shocked  when  he  learned  of  the  occurrence,  that  he  left 
the  army,  went  to  Canada,  and  lived  thereafter  a  life  of  solitude. 
Slight  as  was  this  incident,  when  compared  with  the  momentous 
events  then  taking  place,  it  nevertheless  made  a  profound  sensation 
throughout  the  country,  and  was  the  cause  of  hundreds  of  young  men 
flocking  to  the  Continental  army. 

Schuyler  now  determined  to  make  a  stand  at   Stillwater,  where  he 
had  established  a  fortified  camp  and  was  receiving  many  recruits. 


488 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP,  xxxm 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Growing 
Weak 
ness  of 

Bur 
goyne 


Amer 
ican  Vic 
tory  at 
Benning- 
ton 


The  panic  caused  by  the  evacuation  of  Ticonderoga  passed,  and  a 
feeling  of  buoyant  patriotism  brought  considerable  additions  to  the 
ranks  of  the  American  army.  Furthermore,  it  was  apparent  that 
Burgoyne  was  growing  weaker.  He  was  losing  many  men  by  deser 
tion,  while  his  base  of  supplies  was  so  distant  that  his  army  began  to 
suffer  for  food.  The  patriots,  meanwhile,  were  gathering  round  him 
on  all  sides  and  harassing  him  continually,  while  with  every  mile  he 
advanced  southward  his  condition  grew  worse. 

Since  it  was  as  difficult  to  retreat  as  to  advance,  Burgoyne  de 
cided  to  strike  a  blow  that  would  encourage  the  Tories,  and  enable 
him  to  procure  horses  and  cattle,  of  which  his  command  stood  in 
great  need.  A  strong  detachment  of  British  Hessians,  Canadians, 
and  Indians,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Baum,  set  out  for  Bennington, 
Vermont,  and  arrived  there  on  the  evening  of  August  I3th.  Baum 
saw  so  many  Americans  in  the  neighborhood  that  he  sent  back  to 
Burgoyne  for  reinforcements.  Two  German  battalions,  with  two  can 
non,  were  despatched  to  his  assistance,  their  advance  being  through 
a  downpour  of  rain,  which  continued  for  twenty-four  hours.  While 
awaiting  their  arrival,  Baum  took  up  position  on  a  hill,  some  miles 
west  of  Bennington,  which  sloped  down  towards  the  Walloomscoick 
Creek,  where  he  threw  up  intrenchments. 

Colonel  John  Stark,  a  veteran  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  was 
at  Bennington  with  a  part  of  his  brigade.  He  immediately  sent  to 
Manchester  for  the  remnants  of  Col.  Seth  Warner's  regiment,  in 
camp  there,  and  they  marched  through  the  same  drenching  rain  which 
descended  upon  the  reinforcements  on  their  way  to  the  assistance  of 
Baum.  The  storm  finally  subsided,  and  the  morning  of  August  i6th 
was  hot  and  sultry.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Stark  divided 
his  forces  so  as  to  attack,  from  every  side,  the  enemy  on  Walloom 
scoick  Heights.  "  There  they  are,  boys,"  said  Stark ;  "  we'll  beat 
them  to-day,  or  Molly  Stark's  a  widow !"  The  impetuosity  of  the 
assault  struck  terror  among  the  Indians,  who  broke  through  the 
American  lines  and  fled  to  the  woods.  The  fight  continued  for  a 
couple  of  hours,  when  the  enemy's  ammunition  failed,  and  they 
attempted  to  cut  their  way  through  the  investing  lines.  Baum  was 
killed,  and  all  his  men  were  made  prisoners.  At  this  juncture,  the 
reinforcements  from  Burgoyne  arrived,  and  almost  at  the  same  mo 
ment  Stark  was  joined  by  fresh  troops.  The  engagement  was  im 
mediately  renewed  and  continued  until  sunset,  when  the  enemy 


CHAP.   XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


489 


retreated,  leaving  their  artillery  and  wounded  behind  them.  The  PERIOD  in 
victory  was  so  complete  that  it  greatly  inspirited  the  Americans, 
while  it  caused  the  gravest  alarm  on  the  part  of  Burgoyne,  whose 
situation  now  became  really  perilous.  Many  more  of  his  Canadians 
and  Indians  deserted  him,  and,  for  the  first  time,  he  saw  starvation 
threaten  his  troops. 

While  these  stirring  events  were  taking  place  to  the  east  of  Still- 
water,  others  hardly  less  important  were  occurring  to  the  westward. 


TO 

1783 


DEATH  OF  JANE  McCREA 


Joseph  Brant,  the  famous  Mohawk  chief,  had  made  a  visit  to  Eng 
land  and  was  presented  to  the  King  (George  III.).  He  was  treated 
with  so  much  consideration  that  he  promised  to  aid  the  English  in 
conquering  the  colonies,  and  he  kept  his  promise.  Early  in  June 
(1777),  the  head  of  the  Mohawks  gathered  his  warriors  about  him 
and  at  once  began  offensive  operations.  Schulyer  ordered  Brigadier- 
General  Nicholas  Herkimer,  in  command  of  the  Tryon  County  mili 
tia,  to  check  any  movement  on  the  part  of  Brant.  Fort  Schuyler 


Siege  of 

Fort 
Schuy 
ler 


490 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
*ND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Bravery 

of  Gen. 

Her- 

kimer 


The 

Relief  for 

Fort 

Schuy- 

ler 


received  a  strong  garrison,  which  was  soon  besieged  by  St.  Leger, 
with  a  large  force  of  Canadians,  British,  and  Indians,  together  with 
a  number  of  Americans  who  still  adhered  to  the  fortunes  of  the  Brit 
ish.  Learning  of  this,  Herkimer  marched  with  a  number  of  the 
militia  to  the  relief  of  the  fort.  He  sent  word  to  the  commandant 
of  his  intention,  and  a  detachment  from  the  garrison  simultaneously 
sallied  out  and  attacked  the  besiegers,  who  were  routed  and  scattered 
in  every  direction,  while  a  large  amount  of  plunder  was  taken.  One 
cause  of  his  defeat  was  the  absence  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
investing  force,  which  had  gone  to  meet  Herkimer,  and  of  whose 
approach  they  knew. 

At  Oriskany,  near  Utica,  Herkimer's  militia  were  marching 
through  the  woods,  when  they  were  ambushed  by  the  Tories  and 
Indians,  who  furiously  assailed  them.  The  rear-guard  broke  and 
fled,  but  the  remainder  fought  with  the  utmost  bravery.  The  same 
bullet  that  killed  Herkimer's  horse  wounded  him  mortally,  but,  the 
valorous  old  hero  propped  himself  on  the  ground  against  his  saddle, 
and,  supported  by  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  smoked  his  pipe,  and  gave 
directions  as  coolly  as  if  he  were  on  parade.  A  violent  thunder- 
shower  checked  the  fighting  for  a  while,  but  it  was  soon  renewed. 
Suddenly,  the  sound  of  firing  caused  by  a  sortie  from  the  fort  reached 
the  ears  of  the  Indians,  who  fled  in  a  panic,  quickly  followed  by  the 
white  men.  General  Herkimer  was  carried  to  his  home,  where  he 
shortly  afterwards  died  from  the  effects  of  his  wound. 

The  siege  of  Fort  Schuyler  was  pressed;  but  the  garrison  held 
out  bravely.  The  prospect  was  so  gloomy,  however,  that  a  messen 
ger  was  sent  to  Schuyler  begging  for  relief.  That  wise  commander, 
though  he  saw  the  necessity  of  beating  back  St.  Leger,  in  order  to 
insure  the  impending  victory  over  Burgoyne,  could  ill  spare  a  man. 
He,  however,  called  a  council  of  war  and  recommended  that  relief  be 
sent,  though  in  this  he  was  opposed  by  his  officers,  because,  as  they 
thought,  they  were  not  strong  enough  to  check  Burgoyne. 

At  this,  Schuyler  lost  patience  and  declared  that  the  relief  should 
be  given.  "Where  is  the  brigadier  who  will  take  command?"  he 
cried,  looking  round  in  the  faces  of  the  officers.  Arnold  promptly 
stepped  forward  and  at  once  announced  his  readiness.  Within  the 
following  twenty-four  hours,  eight  hundred  volunteers  under  this 
leader  were  marching  westward.  The  manner  in  which  the  siege  of 
Fort  Schuyler  was  raised  was  not  paralleled  during  the  Revolution, 


CHAP.   XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


49 1 


for  it  was  daring  and  unique.     The  incident  recalls  an  episode  in  the 
life  of  General  Oglethorpe,  which  bore  some  resemblance  to  it. 

On  his  arrival  at  German  Flats,  Arnold  found  a  Tory  prisoner" 
who  had  been  condemned  to  death  for  some  misdeed.  He  was  a 
half-idiot,  whose  mother  begged  Arnold  to  spare  his  life.  Arnold 
consented,  on  condition  that  the  young  man  would  do  a  certain  thing 
for  him.  The  delighted  fellow  announced  himself  ready  for  any 
task,  no  matter  what  it  was. 

"  You  are  to  go,"  he  said,  "with  a  friendly  Oneida  Indian  to  the 
camp  of  St.  Leger's  warriors  and  make  them  believe  that  my  army  is 
twice  as  numerous  as  theirs,  and  that  I  am  on  my  march  against 
them,  and  that  if  they  wait  we  shall  kill  every  one  of  them." 

The  prisoner  eagerly  pledged  himself  to  do  what  was  asked,  and 
the  piece  of  strategy  was  quickly  arranged.  Several  bullets  were 
fired  through  the  clothing  of  the  young  man,  and  he  was  told  to  go. 
Away  he  sped  at  his  highest  speed,  so  that,  on  reaching  the  Indian 
camp,  he  was  panting  and  almost  exhausted.  When  the  startled  sav 
ages  looked  at  him  for  an  explanation,  he  said  he  had  just  eluded  the 
Americans,  and  showed  the  bullet-holes  in  his  clothing  as  witness  of 
his  story.  "They  are  like  the  leaves  on  the  trees,"  he  added;  "they 
will  soon  be  here  and  all  who  stay  will  be  killed." 

While  the  warriors  were  listening  to  these  alarming  words,  the 
Oneida  Indian  dashed  in  among  them  from  another  direction,  and 
with  the  same  story.  This  was  enough,  and  indeed  more  than 
enough.  The  Indians  were  so  terrified  that  it  was  impossible  for  the 
officers  to  restrain  them.  They  ran  off  pell-mell  through  the  woods 
towards  Oswego,  quickly  followed  by  the  soldiers  who  shared  the 
panic.  Thus  ended  the  siege  of  Fort  Schuyler  and  the  dreaded 
Indian  invasion,  without  any  fighting  on  the  part  of  the  Americans. 

The  overthrow  of  St.  Leger  was  a  heavy  blow  to  Burgoyne,  who 
saw  his  hopes  of  conquest  daily  vanishing.  He  felt  that  defeat  was 
drawing  near,  and  that  his  grand  scheme  of  invasion  which  was  to  be 
a  crushing  out  of  the  rebellion  was  likely  to  end  in  overwhelming  dis 
aster  to  himself.  To  General  Schuyler,  more  than  to  any  other  man, 
was  the  present  success  of  the  American  arms  due.  While  prepar 
ing  to  make  his  triumph  complete,  General  Gates,  however,  arrived  in 
camp  with  an  order  from  Congress  to  supersede  him  in  the  command. 
This  was  a  cruel  blow  to  Schuyler,  and  unhappily  it  was  the  result  of 
intrigue.  Washington,  when  he  was  asked  to  appoint  a  successor  to 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


An  In 
genious 
Strata- 
gem 


Arrival 
of  Gen. 
Gates 


492  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  Schuyler,  properly  refused,  and  Congress  then  commissioned  Gates 
ANDFR!N?E  an^  voted  him  all  the  aid  for  which  Schuyler  had  so  long  asked  in 
AMERICA     vain.     But  though  he  felt  the  indignity,  Schuyler  was  none  the  less 
a  patriot.     He  received  Gates  cordially,  and  loyally  volunteered  to 
give  him  all  tne  help  ne  could  in  conquering  Burgoyne. 

Gates  was  tardy  in  his  movements,  and  three  weeks  passed  before 
he  moved  up  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  with  his  army  of  nine  thou- 
Battle  of  sand  men.  Upon  Bemis  Heights,  a  short  distance  above  Stillwater, 
Heights  ne  established  a  fortified  camp.  Burgoyne,  whose  army  was  reduced 
to  less  than  six  thousand,  called  in  his  outposts,  crossed  the  Hud 
son,  and  encamped  on  the  heights  of  Saratoga.  It  was  as  fatal  for 
him  to  remain  idle  as  to  retreat,  so,  on  the  morning  of  the  igth,  he 
advanced  in  three  columns  to  offer  battle.  Gates  showed  such  an 
indisposition  to  fight,  that  it  pointed  to  a  lack  of  personal  courage. 
Arnold  and  the  other  officers,  on  the  contrary,  were  so  eager  for  bat 
tle  that  it  was  hard  to  restrain  them.  In  the  severe  conflict  which 
ensued  Arnold  distinguished  himself,  and  had  Gates  granted  him  the 
reinforcements  for  which  he  asked,  he  would  no  doubt  have  turned 
the  right  wing  of  the  British  army,  but  Gates  was  inexorable.  As 
it  was,  the  invaders  would  have  been  compelled  to  surrender  but  for 
the  timely  aid  of  their  Hessian  allies.  After  a  lull,  the  battle  was, 
however,  renewed  and  with  more  fury  than  ever.  A  charge  of  the 
king's  troops  was  repelled  so  fiercely  that  the  enemy  fell  back. 
Arnold  was  at  the  side  of  Gates  begging  for  reinforcements,  but  the 
commander  stubbornly  refused ;  yet,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  it  was 
Arnold's  courage  and  skill  which  beyond  question  saved  the  Ameri 
can  army  from  disaster.  Not  less  notable  were  the  heroic  efforts  of 
others  on  the  field.  The  gallant  Morgan  and  his  riflemen  rendered 
scarcely  less  effective  aid,  and  yet  when  Gates  sent  his  official  report 
of  the  battle  to  Congress,  he  did  not  mention  the  name  of  either 
officer.  It  was  a  pitiful  example  of  meanness  and  jealousy. 

Seeing  the  great  work  that  could  be  done    by  following  up  the 

advantage  gained,  Arnold  urged  that  the  attack  should  be  renewed 

Timidity   the  next  day,   but   Gates  would  not  give  his  consent.     Burgoyne, 

Gates      meanwhile,  fell  back  a  couple  of  miles  and  again  threw  up  intrench- 

ments.     While  thus  engaged,  he  was  cheered  by  a  message  from 

Sir  Henry  Clinton  at  New  York,  who  promised  to  cause  a  diversion 

by  sending  an  expedition  up  the  Hudson.     Burgoyne,  ever  confident, 

replied  that  he  could  hold  out  until  the   I2th  of  October/    But  the 


CHAP,  xxxin 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


493 


condition  of  the  invaders  rapidly  grew  worse.     The  Indians  were    PERIOD  in 

continually  deserting  ;    nearly  a  thousand  sick  and  wounded  were  in 

the  hospital  ;    the  Americans  were  converging  on  all  sides  ;    and  the 

foraging  parties  came  back  empty-handed  and  often  with  many  of 

their  numbers  missing,     Volunteers,  on  the  other  hand,  flocked  to       1783 


AM'ENRICA 


GENERAL  HORATIO  GATES 

the  standard  of  the  patriots,  whose  hopes  now  rose  to  the  highest 
point. 

Arnold's  impatience  and  quick  temper  led  him  to  address  a  note 
to  Gates,  complaining  of  his  tardiness,  in  which  he  used  such  plain 
words  that  the  commander  took  offence.  But  the  position  of  things 
with  the  British,  who  now  set  out  to  return  to  the  lakes,  was  desperate. 
Burgrovne  called  a  council  of  war,  which  decided  that  the  onlv  thing 
to  do  was  to  fight.  On  the  morning  of  October  7th,  therefore,  he 
advanced  against  the  Americans.  In  the  battle  which  followed, 


g0yne"s 

Desper- 

ate  Posi- 

tion 


494  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  Morgan  and  his  riflemen  did  fine  service,  but  all    the  Americans 

AND  FRANCE  f°ugnt  witn  unsurpassed  bravery;  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  a  cannon 

AMERICA    was  ta^en  and  retaken  five  times.     Finally  it  remained  in  the  hands 

J758       of  the  Americans,  and  was  quickly  turned  upon  the  fleeing  enemy. 

1783  Gates   had  deprived  Arnold    of    a  command   before  the  battle, 

because  of  his  impertinence,  and  forbade  him  to  take- part  in  any 

Arnold's  fighting.  Arnold,  chafing  and  incensed  at  his  forced  inaction,  lis- 
[teP  tened  to  the  sounds  of  the  battle  until  he  could  restrain  himself  no 
longer.  Then  he  leaped  into  the  saddle  and  sent  his  horse  flying 
into  the  thickest  of  the  conflict.  The  indignant  Gates  ordered  Major 
Armstrong  to  follow  and  bring  back  his  insubordinate  officer.  He 
set  off  to  do  so,  but  Arnold,  glancing  over  his  shoulder  and  knowing 
his  errand,  quickly  left  his  pursuer  behind.  The  troops  broke  into 
cheers  when  Arnold  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  his  brigade  and 
plunged  with  reckless  bravery  into  the  fight.  Never  did  soldier 
fight  more  dauntlessly !  Ah,  why  did  not  some  good  angel,  three 
years  later,  whisper  into  the  ear  of  this  man,  and  draw  him  back 
from  the  precipice  over  which  he  leaped  to  the  uttermost  depths  of 
infamy  ? 

The  two  leaders  on  the  American  side  who  performed  prodigies 
of  valor  were  Arnold  and  Morgan.  On  the  enemy's  side,  fully  as 

Defeat  of  brave  and  daring  was  General  Fraser,  *  of  the  British  army.  His 
goyne  voice  and  example  thrilled  his  men  to  deeds  of  valor  that  compelled 
the  admiration  of  his  opponents.  Mounted,  in  full  uniform,  on  his 
noble  gray  charger,  he  was  so  conspicuous  an  object  that  an  Ameri 
can  sharpshooter  in  the  branches  of  a  tree  singled  him  out,  and 
brought  him  mortally  wounded  from  his  horse.  His  fall  caused  a 
panic,  and,  at  the  critical  moment,  three  thousand  fresh  New  York 
militia  arrived  on  the  field.  The  British  lines  were  broken  and  the 
troops  retreated  to  their  intrenchments,  leaving  their  artillery  behind 

*  A  pathetic  interest  attaches  to  the  death  of  this  gallant  Scottish  commander  serving 
under  Burgoyne.  He  belonged  to  the  family  of  the  Frasers  of  Lovat.  The  chieftain  of 
the  clan,  Simon,  Lord  Lovat,  came  to  the  block  for  complicity  in  the  Scottish  rebellion  of 
1745,  and  besides  losing  his  head  he  lost  his  estates  in  the  ill-fated  Stuart  cause.  Gen 
eral  Fraser,  who  was  heir  to  the  estates  that  had  become  forfeit  to  the  Crown,  was,  it  is 
said,  promised  their  restoration  on  the  successful  issue  of  the  Burgoyne  expedition.  His 
death  on  Bemis  Heights  extinguished  all  hopes  of  revoking  the  act  of  attainder  in  the 
interest  of  the  Fraser  clan.  The  lamented  officer  was  buried  early  in  the  morning  after 
the  battle,  when  the  conflict  was  resumed,  and  the  chaplain  who  read  the  service  at  the 
grave  was,  with  the  officers  who  assisted  at  the  obsequies,  spattered  with  mud  from  the 
cannon-balls  that  at  intervals  fell  about  the  group. 


CHAP.  XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


495 


them.  Arnold  now  led  a  charge  against  them.  It  was  desperately 
resisted,  but  nothing  could  stay  him  and  Morgan's  riflemen.  When 
at  last  Arnold  drove  the  Hessians  pell-mell  before  him,  they  fired  a 
parting  volley  which  killed  Arnold's  horse  and  inflicted  a  severe 
wound  in  the  same  leg  that  had  been  injured  at  Quebec.  Then  it 
was  that  Major  Armstrong,  who  had  been  sent  by  Gates  to  prevent 
Arnold  doing  "some  rash  thing,"  managed  to  overtake  the  wounded 
hero  and  delivered  the  order  for  his  return  to  his  superior  officer. 
Benedict  Arnold  won  this  great  victory  against  the  orders  of  the 
general  in  command,  who,  though  he  did  not  appear  on  the  field  of 
battle,  received  all  the  credit  and  glory. 

During  the  night,  Burgoyne,  with  his  whole  army,  retreated  to  a 
point  a  mile  north  of  the  intrenchments  that  were  occupied  by  the 
Americans.  He  was  naturally  depressed,  for  he  then  foresaw  the 
inevitable  end.  He  had  started  out  with  bombastic  proclamations 
and  high-flown  promises ;  but  all  was  to  close  in  disaster  and  over 
throw.  After  an  unspeakably  dismal  march  through  a  rain-storm, 
Burgoyne  reached  the  heights  of  Saratoga  on  the  morning  of  October 
loth.  The  Americans  followed,  and  the  British  commander  then 
decided  to  continue  the  struggle  no  longer.  The  situation,  he  saw, 
was  hopeless,  for  besides  being  hemmed  in  by  the  patriots,  his  army 
was  on  the  verge  of  starvation.  After  holding  a  council  with  his 
officers,  he  sent  a  proposal  to  Gates  offering  to  surrender.  The 
terms  were  soon  agreed  upon,  and  the  vanquished  army  laid  down 
its  arms  in  front  of  the  present  village  of  Schuylerville. 

Burgoyne's  Indian  allies  had  fled  long  before.*  The  number  of 
troops  that  now  became  prisoners  of  war  was  5,791  officers  andmen,f 
among  whom  were  six  members  of  the  British  parliament.  Some 
of  the  trophies  were  a  train  of  brass  artillery,  of  the  finest  make  then 
known,  five  thousand  muskets,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  ammuni 
tion  and  stores.  The  Americans  treated  the  prisoners  with  great 
kindness,  dividing  their  food  with  them,  and  showing  them  every  con 
sideration. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Surren 
der  of 
Bur 
goyne 


*  The  reason  assigned  for  this  desertion  of  the  Indians  is  highly  creditable  to  Bur 
goyne.  It  resulted  from  the  General's  putting  a  check  on  the  propensity  of  the  savage 
allies  of  the  British  to  scalp  and  plunder  the  unarmed,  though  it  is  known  that  Burgoyne 
himself  urged  the  employment  of  the  Indians  as  auxiliaries  of  the  army. 

f  Of  this  surrendered  force,  3,379  were  English  and  provincials,  and  2,412  German 
auxiliaries.  The  strength  of  the  American  army  at  Saratoga  on  the  day  of  the  surrender 
was  11,098,  of  which  7,716  were  regulars  and  3,382  militia. 


496 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Far- 
reaching 
Results 

of  the 
Victory 


The 
Treaty 

with 
France 


The  capture  of  Burgoyne  and  his  army  was  the  most  substantial 
triumph  that  the  patriots  had  thus  far  gained  in  the  war.  It  spread 
dismay  in  England,  where  the  resentment  against  Burgoyne  was  so 
deep  that  it  was  several  years  before  justice  was  done  him.  The 
rejoicing  and  gratitude  among  the  colonies  were  correspondingly 
great.  The  victory,  moreover,  was  far-reaching  in  its  results.  In 
the  autumn  of  1776,  Benjamin  Franklin  had  been  sent  to  France  as 
commissioner  of  the  United  States  to  the  French  court,  with  Silas 
Deane  and  Arthur  Lee  as  his  assistants.  The  two  latter  gentlemen 
had  already  been  in  Paris  some  time,  but  had  effected  little.  A 
change,  however,  came  about  after  the  surrender  at  Saratoga.  The 
appointment  of  Franklin  was  one  of  the  wisest  steps  taken  by  our 
country.  He  was  shrewd,  patriotic,  abounding  in  homely  wit,  and 
withal  a  philosopher.  The  struggle  for  independence  developed  no 
finer  or  better  equipped  patriot  than  he.  Dressed  in  his  homely 
garb,  with  his  genial  humor  and  bright  conversation,  he  quickly  be 
came  a  favorite  at  the  gay  court  and  won  friends  where  we  already 
had  many  ardent  sympathizers. 

Early  in  1777,  the  commissioners  asked  France  to  make  a  treaty 
with  the  United  States  for  their  mutual  benefit  in  peace  and  war. 
Aid  had  already  been  furnished  our  country  from  the  French  arse 
nals  and  public  treasury,  but  it  was  done  secretly.  The  king  wished 
to  wait  until  some  substantial  progress,  some  decisive  advantage,  was 
gained  by  the  Americans,  before  he  committed  himself  unreservedly 
in  our  favor,  for  in  doing  so  he  foresaw  the  certainty  of  a  rupture 
with  England.  The  surrender  of  Burgoyne  afforded  this  excuse,  and 
the  important  step  was  hence  taken.  One-third  of  the  British  forces 
in  America  had  been  either  killed  or  captured,  and  France  hesitated 
no  longer  to  recognize  our  independence.  The  treaty  was  signed 
February  6th,  1778.  France  acknowledged  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  two  nations  pledged  themselves  to  make  com 
mon  cause,  each  binding  itself  not  to  treat  with  Great  Britain  for 
peace  without  the  consent  of  the  other.  This  was  the  first  treaty 
made  between  the  United  States  and  a  foreign  power.  In  addition, 
France  agreed  to  send  to  our  assistance  a  fleet  of  sixteen  war-vessels, 
under  D'Estaing,  and  an  army  of  four  thousand  men. 

Great  Britain,  of  course,  at  once  heard  of  France's  action,  and 
now  declared  war  against  her,  and  invited  the  United  States  to  help 
her.  As  an  inducement,  she  offered  to  give  everything  that  she  had 


CHAP.  XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


497 


refused  three  years  before,  including  freedom  from  taxation,  and  ac-  PERIOD  in 
cording  representation  in  parliament ;  but  the  offer  was  too  late. 
The  Americans  were  firmly  resolved  on  independence  and  snubbed 
the  English  commissioners  sent  to  this  country.  It  should  be  stated 
that  since  the  ruling  families  in  France  and  Spain  were  related, 
Spain  joined  France  in  the  war  against  Great  Britain  in  1779,  and 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


GENERAL  JOHN  BURGOYNE 

Holland,  for  commercial  reasons,  united  with  those  powers  in  1780. 
Thus,  as  the  war  went  on,  Great  Britain  found  her  hands  full. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  progress   of  events    in   1777.     While 
everything  had  gone  so  well  in  the  North,  disaster  and  misfortune   Dlsaster 
followed  fast  upon  each  other  with  the  other  portions  of  the  patriot    Misfor- 
army.     After  his  victory  at  Princeton,  Washington  withdrew  to  the 
heights  of  Morristown,  where  he  spent  the  winter.     His  lines,  fol- 


498  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  lowing  the  trend  of  the  mountains,  stretched  from  the  Hudson  to  the 

A?DFRAN?E  Delaware.     At  first  the  British  line  faced  him,  but  in  consequence 

AMERICA    °^  tne  hostility  of  the  inhabitants,  the  invaders  gradually  drew  in 

1758       around  Brunswick  and  near  Sandy  Hook.     Howe  repeatedly  tried  to 

1783       induce  the  Americans  to  come  out,  but  Washington  was  too  cautious. 

The   British  commander  had   his  eye  upon  Philadelphia,  but  was 

afraid  to  march  through  New  Jersey,  lest  Washington  should  attack 

him  on  the  flank. 

Meanwhile,  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  whom  Howe  had  left  in  command 
at  New  York,  made  several  diversions  in  favor  of  his  chief.     Situ 
ated  in  the  Hudson  Highlands  were  three  forts,  viz. :  Fort  Constitu 
tion,  on  a  rocky  island,  opposite  West  Point,  and  Forts  Clinton  and 
Montgomery,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  one  on  either  side  of  a 
small  stream.     From  Fort  Montgomery  the  Americans  had  stretched 
a  chain  and  boom  across  the  Hudson  to  Anthony's  Nose,  to  prevent 
Capture    vessels  from  passing  up  stream.     These  forts  were  feebly  garrisoned 
Forts^on  anc*  were  under  the  command  of  General  Putnam,  whose  headquar- 
tha       ters  were  at  Peekskill.     They  were  attacked  by  so  superior  a  force 
High-     that  many  of  the  defenders  were  captured  and  the  remainder  scat- 
lands      tered.     The  chain  and  boom  were  broken,  the  Americans  burning 
most  of  their  vessels,  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  who  then   devastated  both  shores  of  the  Hudson.     These 
events  took  place  while  the  campaign  of  Burgoyne  was  in  progress, 
and  the  marauders  were  engaged  in  their  work  of  destruction  when 
the  news  of  the  British  general's  surrender  caused  them  to  retreat 
hurriedly  to  New  York. 

Washington  now  marched  to  Philadelphia,  expecting  to  meet  the 
British  south  of  that  city.  In  the  latter  part  of  August,  he  learned 
-  tnat  Lord  Howe's  fleet,  with  his  brother's  army,  was  coming  up 
ington  Chesapeake  Bay,  with  the  evident  intention  of  attacking  the  city. 
Washington  marched  from  Philadelphia  on  the  24th  of  August,  and 
the  next  day  was  at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  while  the  British  troops 
were  landing  at  the  head  of  Elk  River,  a  little  more  than  fifty  miles 
from  the  American  capital.  They  numbered  eighteen  thousand  well- 
equipped  men,  while  the  Americans  had  hardly  eleven  thousand,  of 
whom  a  fifth  were  Pennsylvania  militia.  Washington  marched  beyond 
Wilmington  and  took  up  position  behind  Red  Clay  Creek.  Sharp 
skirmishing  followed,  but  Washington  outgeneralled  Howe  and  fell 
back  to  Brandywine  Creek,  which  he  crossed  at  Chad's  Ford,  posting 


CHAP,  xxxiii  EVENTS    OF    1777  499 

his  army  on  the  hills  to  the  eastward.      He  displayed  no  little  skill    PERIOD  in 
in  the  manoeuvring  and  fighting  which  followed,  but  Sullivan,  through  A^'J^°B 
some  misinformation,  blundered,  and  the  final  result  was  a  defeat  of     AM™ICA 
the  Americans,  with  a  loss  of  twelve  hundred  men.     They  therefore       X758 
retreated  to  Chester,  and  the  next  morning  (September  I2th),  Wash-       1783 
ington  proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  and  encamped  near  Germantown. 
Congress,  seeing  that  it  would  again  be  compelled  to  fly,  once  more 
invested  the  commander-in-chief  with  large  discretionary  power.     He 
sought  to  bring  on  a  battle,  but  the  British  eluded  the  Americans,    Capture 
hurriedly  marched  to  Philadelphia,  and  took  possession  of  the  vicinity     delphia 
September  26th.     Congress  meanwhile  fled  to  Lancaster,  and  after 
wards  to  York. 

Washington  and  his  army  were  at  this  time  about  twenty  miles 
from  Philadelphia,  on  Skippack  Creek.  On  the  night  of  October  3d, 
a  stealthy  march  of  fourteen  miles  was  made  to  Germantown,  where 
they  attacked  Howe's  army  at  daylight.  The  whole  region  that 
morning  was  enveloped  in  a  dense  fog,  but  the  Americans  drove  the 
British  pell-mell  before  them.  Howe  hurried  to  the  spot  only  to 
meet  his  panic-stricken  battalions.  .  A  great  disaster  was  impending 
to  his  army,  when  unexpected  assistance  came  to  it.  A  stone  build 
ing,  known  as  Chew's  House,  was  occupied  by  a  strong  force  of  the 
enemy,  who  turned  it  into  a  castle  by  barricading  the  doors  and  lower 
windows.  From  this  fort,  they  "kept  up  a  destructive  fire,  and  could 
not  be  dislodged.  A  long  delay  resulted  from  the  attempt  to  capture 
it.  The  fog  was  so  dense  that  men  could  not  see  each  other  a  few 
paces  apart  ;  the  troops  became  bewildered,  and  the  confusion  was 
so  great  that  the  plans  of  Washington  were  disarranged.  The  Amer- 


icans,  as  usual,  fought  bravely  and  were  on  the  eve  of  a  decisive  vie-       can 
tory,  when  an  alarm  was  created  and  a  disorderly  retreat  followed.    German- 
Washington  and  his  Continentals  finally  took  up  their  winter  quar-      town 
ters  at  Valley  Forge,  on  the  Schuylkill,  just  above  Norristown.     The 
invaders  marched  into  Philadelphia,  where  they  held  high  revel  dur 
ing   the   terribly  severe  winter  which  followed,  while  the  patriots 
shivered  and  starved  at  Valley  Forge. 

And  now  it  is  necessary  to  relate  some  things  which  are  anything 
but  pleasant  reading,  to  those,  at  least,  who  may  have  conceived  the 
notion  that  the  whole  country  was  at  the  time  aflame  with  patriotism  ; 
that  our  soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  war  were  always  much  braver 
than  the  enemy  ;  that  everybody  was  honest,  moral,  and  upright  ;  and 


500  HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  that  the  Tories  were  few  in  number,  and  hardly  dared  show  them- 

ENGLAND  selves  except  under  the  protection  of  the  "  red-coats." 

AND  FRANCE 


AMERICA  ^e  cannot  glvQ  to°  much  glory  to  the  patriots  who  won  our  in- 
dependence.  They  went  through  every  possible  suffering;  they 
starved,  shivered  with  cold,  and  gasped  with  heat;  the  paper  money 
in  which  they  were  now  and  then  paid  soon  became  worthless  ;  they 
tramped  through  the  snow  and  over  frozen  roads  often  barefoot,  and 
they  fought,  bled,  and  died  with  an  almost  unsurpassed  heroism. 
While  this  is  true,  nevertheless  it  is  a  fact  that,  with  all  the  sturdy 
patriotism,  there  was  jealousy,  dishonesty,  trickery,  meanness,  and 
demoralization,  and  that  to  a  degree  that  alarmed  all  true  friends  of 
the  country. 

While  the  wretched  army  of  patriots  were  suffering  at  Valley 
Forge,  Americans  hoarded  the  necessaries  of  life  and  contractors 
became  rich.  Though  days  passed  without  any  of  the  soldiers  tast 
ing  meat,  there  was  plenty  of  it  for  the  invaders  in  Philadelphia. 
The  farmers  stole  to  the  city  with  their  choicest  products,  because 
they  received  British  gold  in  payment.  Washington  was  not  the 
meekest  of  men,  when  the  welfare  of  his  soldiers  was  at  stake. 
Having  obtained  authority  from  Congress,  he  seized  provisions  for 
his  troops,  paying  therefor  with  scrip,  and  ordered  all  the  farmers 
within  a  radius  of  seventy  miles  to  thresh  out  one-half  their  grain  by 
February  ist,  and  the  remainder  by  March  1st,  under  penalty  of  hav 
ing  it  all  seized  as  straw.  The  churlish  farmers  refused  and  burned 
what  they  could  not  sell,  to  keep  it  from  the  famishing  patriots. 
Nor  was  this  the  worst  that  then  happened.  Men  gave  up  their 
usual  pursuits  and  plunged  into  speculation,  stock-  jobbing,  and  gam 
bling  ;  official  signatures  were  forged  ;  honest  debts  were  repudiated  ; 
patriotism  was  scoffed  at,  until  the  disgusted  and  grieved  Washing- 
Wash-  ton  wrote  :  "  Idleness,  dissipation,  and  extravagance  seemed  to  have 
Disgust  ^a^  hold  of  most  ;  speculation,  peculation,  and  an  insatiate  thirst  for 
riches  have  got  the  better  of  every  other  consideration  and  almost 
every  order  of  men." 

Naturally  the  people  were  ardent  at  first,  but  many  soon  tired  of 
the  hardships  and  dangers  of  real  war.  During  the  retreat  across 
New  Jersey,  it  seemed  as  if  every  house  had  a  piece  of  red  flannel 
tacked  on  the  front,  as  a  sign  that  they  were  royalists;  not  a  hun 
dred  volunteers  were  picked  up  on  that  woful  march  ;  half  of  the 
Maryland  militia  sent  to  Washington's  help  just  before  the  battle 


CHAP.  XXXIII 


EVENTS    OF    1777 


501 


of  Germantown  deserted ;  when  Philadelphia  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  province  was  overrun  by  the  British,  Pennsylvania 
had  barely  twelve  hundred  militia  in  service.  In  178  i,  one  thousand 
soldiers  perjured  themselves  to  escape  military  duty,  a  number  be 
coming  informers,  spies,  and  guides  for  the  enemy ;  drunkenness  and 
theft  were  common ;  Whigs  were  accused  of  being  Tories,  so  as  to 
furnish  a  pretext  for  plundering 
their  dwellings;  officers  stole 
the  money  entrusted  to  them 
for  the  privates ;  furloughs  were 


AT  VALLEY  FORGE 


violated  and  duty  neglected; 
long  lists  of  the  cashiered  were 
sent  to  Congress,  and  Washing 
ton  wrote  to  one  governor  that 
the  officers  he  sent  him  were 

not  fit  to  be  shoe-blacks.  He  told  another  that  his  officers,  as  a 
rule,  were  from  the  lowest  class,  and  led  their  men  into  every  kind 
of  mischief.  There  were  plenty  of  rogues  among  the  surgeons,  too, 
who  took  bribes  to  grant  discharges  and  ate  up  the  delicacies  in 
tended  for  the  sick.  The  officers  quarrelled  about  their  respective 
ranks  and  positions.  John  Adams  wrote  in  1777:  "I  am  wearied 
to  death  by  the  wrangles  between  military  officers,  high  and  low. 
They  quarrel  like  cats  and  dogs." 

Even  Washington  did  not  escape  envenomed  personal  attack.     A 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 

1783 


Quarrel 
ing  like 
Cats  and 
Dogs 


502  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES       CHAP,  xxxm 

PERIOD  in  bitter  opposition  against  him  developed.     Congress  was  as  exacting 
ENGLAND    as  ever,  and  gave  little  heed  to  his  wishes.     Benedict  Arnold  was 

AND  FRANCE 

AMERICA     tne  °^est  brigadier-general  and  was  not  only  entitled  to  promotion 
1758       for  his  brilliant  services,  but  was  strongly  recommended  by  the  com- 
1783       mander-in-chief ;    yet  Congress  would  not  promote  him.     Stark  re 
sented  a  similar  slight  by  going  back  to  his  plough,  where  he  stayed 
until  Bennington  brought  him  to  the  front  again.     Gates  was  ap- 

Injustice  pointed  adjutant-general  without  consulting  Washington,  and  the  corn- 
to  Wash-  . 
ington     missary  department  was  reorganized  against  his  strongly  expressed 

wishes.  The  department  could  not  have  worked  more  wretchedly. 
It  was  said  that  during  the  distressful  march  to  Valley  Forge,  when 
half  the  men  were  barefooted,  "  hogsheads  of  shoes  and  stockings  and 
clothing  were  lying  at  different  places  on  the  roads  and  in  the  woods 
rotting  for  want  of  teams,  or  money  to  pay  the  teamsters." 

Gates  was  so  puffed  up  by  his  victory  over  Burgoyne,  and  by  the 
flattery  of  his  pretended  friends,  that  he  reported  directly  to  Con 
gress,  instead  of  to  Washington  as  was  his  duty.  Had  Gates  trans 
ported  his  army  to  Pennsylvania,  as  Washington  urged  him  to  do, 
there  is  little  doubt  that  Howe  would  have  been  driven  from  Phila 
delphia  and  the  capital  saved.  Finally,  a  cabal  was  organized  to  dis 
place  Washington  and  place  Gates  at  the  head  of  the  army.  An 
Irishman,  named  Conway,  who  had  been  sent  over  from  France  by 
Silas  Deane,  was  made  brigadier-general  by  Congress.  Washington 
distrusted  the  adventurer  and  protested  against  his  promotion. 
Nevertheless,  he  was  passed  over  his  seniors  and  made  first  of  all 
major-general  and  then  inspector-general. 

Conway  announced  that  all  the  disasters  were  due  to  Washing- 
Conway  ton's  incapacity,  and  no  success  was  likely  until  he  was  displaced  by 
Cabal  a  competent  leader.  In  the  plot  to  remove  him  were  Conway,  Gates, 
Mifflin,  and  Gen.  Charles  Lee.  They  had  many  supporters  in  Con 
gress,  but,  happily,  not  as  many  as  Washington  had.  Throughout 
the  whole  trying  ordeal,  that  great  and  good  man  preserved  his  lofty 
bearing,  and  made  no  complaint.  Treachery,  ill-will,  and  open 
enmity  could  not  chill  his  patriotism.  In  a  letter  to  Patrick  Henry, 
he  wrote  :  "  If  the  cause  is  advanced,  indifferent  is  it  to  me  where  or 
in  what  quarter  it  happens."  But  the  best  men  implicitly  trusted 
Washington.  They  resented  the  plotting  of  the  "  Conway  Cabal," 
one  of  whose  chief  supporters,  Samuel  Adams,  dared  not  show  him 
self  before  the  army.  General  Cadwallader  challenged  Conway  to 


CHAP,  xxxm  EVENTS   OF    1777  503 

mortal   combat,  and   wounded   him   so   desperately   that   he  did  not    PERIOD  in 
believe  he  would  survive,  though  he  finally  recovered.     In  the  pres- 
ence  of  death,  Conway  wrote  to  Washington:  "  Sir  :  —  I  find  myself 
just  able  to  hold  my  pen  during  a  few  minutes,  and  take  this  oppor- 
tunity  of  expressing  my  sincere  grief  for  having  done,  written,  or       T783 
said  anything  disagreeable  to  your  excellency.     My  career  will  soon 
be  over;    therefore,  justice  and  truth  prompt  me  to  declare  my  last 
sentiments.     You  are,  in  my  eyes,  the  great  and  good  man.     May 
you  long  enjoy  the   love,  esteem,  and  veneration   of   these   States 
whose  liberties  you  have  asserted  by  your  virtues." 

When  Washington  read  this  pitiful  letter  he  said  :  "  Poor  Con- 
way  !  he  never  could  have  intended  much  wrong  ;  there  is  nothing 
to  forgive."  The  cabal,  which  was  so  discreditable  to  all  concerned, 
soon  fell  to  pieces,  and  the  character  of  Washington  shone  out  with 


renewed  splendor.  All  saw  that  the  hopes  of  the  country  were  cen-  ington 
tred  in  him,  who  formed  the  most  striking  example  in  history  of  the  try's 
one  "  indispensable  man"  in  the  struggle  for  independence.  Hope 


CHAPTER    XXXIV 


Lafay 
ette 


EVENTS  OF  IJJ8  (WYOMING  AND  CHERRY  VALLEY) 

[Authorities:  Dark  as  was  the  era  that  now  opens — with  a  dwindling,  poorly  fed,  and 
ill-equipped  army,  and  the  country  despairing  and  in  financial  straits — there  were  glimpses 
of  a  brighter  day  to  reanimate  the  spirit  and  rekindle  the  hope  of  the  struggling  and  heavily 
beset  nation.  Washington,  like  the  patriot  and  hero  he  was,  strove  to  keep  the  army  in 
good  spirits  and  bear  the  burdens  cast  upon  him  until  the  time  came  when  the  righteous 
cause  would  triumph.  Burgoyne's  surrender,  backed  by  American  diplomacy  at  the  French 
Court,  did  much  to  put  the  young  nation  again  in  heart,  for  at  this  juncture  Lafayette, 
with  other  foreign  officers,  came  upon  the  scene  ;  D'Estaing  appeared  in  American  waters 
with  a  French  fleet,  and  the  French  treasury  gave  substantial  aid  to  Congress  in  its  sore 
financial  need.  The  authorities  for  the  season's  campaigns,  in  addition  to  those  previ 
ously  cited,  are  the  Lives  of  Lafayette,  Von  Steuben,  and  the  Mohawk  chief,  Joseph 
Brant  (W.  L,  Stone's),  and  Headley's  "Washington  and  his  Generals. "  For  an  ac 
count  of  the  Wyoming  massacre,  see  Peck's  "Wyoming,  its  History,  and  Incidents;" 
and,  if  allowance  be  made  for  poetic  license  and  exaggeration,  see  also  the  poet  Camp 
bell's  "  Gertrude  of  Wyoming."] 

is  meet  that  mention  should  be  made  of  a  number 
of  educated  foreign  officers  who  came  to  the  United 
States  and  voluntarily  gave  their  services  in  our 
struggle  for  independence.  The  most  prominent 
of  these  was  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette,  a  gallant 
Frenchman,  only  nineteen  years  old.  He  was  of  a 
noble  family,  married  and  wealthy,  with  brilliant 
prospects.  Against  the  objections  of  his  relatives, 
the  protests  of  the  British  minister,  and  the  orders  of  the  king,  he 
purchased  a  small  vessel,  fitted  it  out  at  his  own  expense,  and,  eluding 
the  officers,  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America.  Reaching  Charleston, 
he  hastened  to  Philadelphia  and  asked  permission  to  serve  without 
pay.  A  few  days  later,  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Washington,  and 


Old  *N£  Ctmtfr. 


CHAP.   XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


505 


a  tender  friendship  was  formed  between  them  which  lasted  through 
life.  Lafayette's  valor  won  for  him  a  commission  as  major-general 
before  he  was  twenty-one.  He  fought  valiantly  at  Brandywine,  where 
he  was  wounded,  but  was  active  through  the  remainder  of  the  war. 

Among  other  foreign  patriots  \vho  joined  our  armies  were  Baron 
de  Kalb,  a  highly  trained  German  general ;  Kosciusko  and  Pulaski, 
two  Polish  officers ;  and  Conway,  an  Irishman,  who,  as  we  have 
shown,  became  an  enemy  of  Washington  and  joined  in  plots  against 
him.  These  arrived  in  this  country  during  the  year  1777.  One  of 
the  most  valuable  of  our  friends  was  Baron  Frederick  William  von 
Steuben,  who  presented  himself  to  Washington  when  the  army  was 
at  Valley  Forge.  Steuben  was  a  thorough  soldier.  He  was  born  in 
a  Prussian  fortress,  had  passed  his  infancy  and  childhood  among  sol 
diers,  and  himself  became  one  when  only  fourteen  years  old.  He 
took  part  on  many  great  battlefields  of  Europe.  On  arriving  here, 
he  was  made  inspector-general,  in  place  of  Conway,  and  threw  his 
whole  soul  into  the  work  of  training  the  army  for  the  battles  yet  to 
be  fought.  He  was  a  man  of  powerful  frame,  a  rigid  disciplinarian, 
with  a  fierce  temper,  which  sometimes  got  the  better  of  him.  When 
he  could  not  express  himself  with  enough  vigor,  because  of  his 
slight  knowledge  of  English,  he  would  turn  to  one  of  his  officers  and 
beg  him  to  swear  at  the  stupid  troops  for  him.  But  no  one  was 
offended,  for  all  appreciated  his  worth  and  unselfishness. 

It  was  while  Washington  was  at  Valley  Forge  that  Congress  or 
dered  that  the  army  should  consist  of  40,000  foot,  in  addition  to 
artillery  and  horse.  In  May,  1778,  our  forces,  including  those  on 
the  Hudson  and  in  other  places,  were  hardly  15,000,  those  with 
Washington  being  about  12,000.  At  that  period,  the  British  had 
30,000  troops  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  4,000  in  Rhode 
Island. 

The  British  commissioners  sent  to  this  country  to  treat  with  Con 
gress  brought  with  them  orders  for  the  transfer  of  the  army  in  Phila 
delphia  to  New  York,  where  it  was  decided  to  concentrate  the 
forces.  General  Howe  was  superseded  in  the  chief  command  by  Sir 
Henry  Clinton.  War  with  France  was  now  impending,  and  there 
was  fear  of  a  French  fleet  entering  the  Delaware  and  there  shutting- 
in  the  troops.  Besides  this,  England  meant  to  attack  some  of  the 
French  West  India  Islands,  and  with  that  end  in  view  5,000  troops 
were  detached  from  the  army,  of  which  3,000  were  sent  to  Florida, 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

I753 

TO 

1733 


Other 
Foreign 
Patriots 


Dispar 
ity  of  the 
Forces 


506  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxiv 

* 

PERIOD  in  and  the  remainder  to  New  York.     Clinton  had  not  enough  transports 
ENGLAND    to  take  his  men  to  New  York  by  water.     He  therefore  shipped  all  he 

AND  FRANCE  J 

AMERICA  could,  including  a  number  of  Tories,  and  set  out  with  the  others 
1758  overland  through  New  Jersey.  Washington,  who  was  expecting  this, 
entered  Philadelphia  with  his  vanguard  on  the  same  day  (June  i8th) 
that  the  British  rear-guard  marched  out.  The  main  army  of  Ameri 
cans  crossed  the  Delaware,  fifteen  miles  above  Trenton,  on  the  2Oth 
and  2  ist  of  June,  and  pursued  the  British  with  so  much  vigor  that 
Clinton  had  to  change  his  course,  and  took  the  road  leading  to  Mon- 
mouth  Court  House  and  Sandy  Hook.  Washington,  when  he  ascer- 


WASHINGTON  AND  LEE  AT  MONMOUTH 

tained  this,  sent  forward  Lafayette,  followed  by  Lee,  each  with  a 
strong  force,  with  orders  to  attack  the  enemy  whenever  the  chance 
presented,  while  he,  a  half  dozen  miles  behind,  held  the  main  army 
in  readiness  to  advance  to  their  support. 

The  heat  in  those  midsummer  days  was  frightful,  many  of  the  men 
in  each  army  being  overcome  by  it.     On  the  28th,  Clinton  was  en 
camped  at  Monmouth  Court  House,  with  his  baggage  train  in  front, 
Battle  at  and  his  most  effective  troops  in  the  rear.     Washington  favored  at- 
moutii     tacking  the  enemy  while  on  the  march,  but  Lee  and  several  of  the 
Court     ofBcers  opposed  this.     Lee  had  five  thousand  men  under  him,  ex 
clusive  of  Dickinson's  New  Jersey  militia  and   Morgan's   riflemen, 
who  were  ordered  to  threaten  the  right  flank  of  the  British.     The 
two  armies  were  five  miles  apart.     When  Washington  requested  Lee 
to  offer  some  plan  of  action,  Lee  replied  that  he  must  be  governed 


CHAP,  xxxiv  EVENTS    OF    1778  507 


by  circumstances,  but   he   meanwhile   edged  a   little   closer  to   the  PERIOD  in 

enemy  with  a  few  hundred  men.  ENGLAND 

•»  AND  r  RANGE 

At  daylight,  Clinton  began  his  march  towards  New  York.      Knyp-  AM™ICA 


hausen,  the  Hessian  leader,  had  charge  of  the  baggage-train  and  its 
convoy,  and  Clinton  with  his  best  troops  was  to  follow  at  eight 
o'clock.  Washington  ordered  Lee  to  attack  at  once,  unless  impera- 


GILBERT  MOTTIER,  MARQUIS  DE  LAFAYETTE 

tive  reasons  prevented,  and  Washington  immediately  moved  forward 
to  his  support.  Lafayette  was  equally  ardent,  but  being  the  junior, 
yielded  the  command  to  Lee,  who  rebuffed  him  when  he  proffered 
advice.  Dickinson's  militia  made  the  attack  a  little  before  eight 
o'clock.  Believing  that  he  was  confronted  by  the  British  army,  he 
sent  for  reinforcements,  but  the  troops  in  front  formed  a  small 
flanking-party  only,  which  fell  back.  The  reports  to  Lee  were  con- 


I75J 

TO 


508 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxiv 


PERIOD  in  fusing,  and  it  was  not  known  until  an  hour  had  elapsed  that  the 
ENGLAND    enemy  were  retreating  towards  Middletown,  when  the  chance  of  stf  ik- 

AND  FRANCE  J 

AMERICA  'm&  ^Qir  ^c^  ^ank  was  thereby  lost.  Colonel  Butler  next  drove  some 
of  the  British  cavalry  through  the  village,  after  which  he  took  up 
position  on  a  slight  elevation  and  awaited  the  other  brigades.  He 
was  charged  by  the  British  light  dragoons,  who  were,  however,  re 
pulsed.  Affairs  now  looked  critical,  when  Lee  ordered  Wayne  to 


1783 


General 

Lee's 

Incom- 

petency 


MOLLY  PITCHER"  AT  MONMOUTH 

march  to  the  right  and  capture  the  British  rear-guard.  The  other 
officers,  who  had  received  no  orders  at  all,  mistook  this  movement 
for  a  retreat,  for  the  enemy  were  threatening  their  communication 
with  Wayne.  They  also  fell  back  and  had  left  their  positions  before 
a  command  reached  them  from  Lee  to  stand  fast.  The  whole  divi 
sion  was  in  full  retreat,  observing  which  the  enemy  turned  about  to 
attack  them.  Lee  watched  the  Americans  until  they  had  crossed  a 
ravine,  when  he  set  out  to  follow  them. 


CHAP.   XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


509 


At  this  moment,  Lee  came  face  to  face  with  Washington,  who  was 
in  a  terrible  rage.  Reining  up  his  horse,  he  demanded  in  a  voice  of 
thunder  what  he  meant  by  his  action.  Lee  attempted  some  excuse, 
offering  to  take  charge  of  the  troops  and  lead  them  again  to  the  at 
tack,  but  Washington  closed  his  mouth  by  commanding  him  to  go 
to  the  rear.  He  obeyed,  humiliated,  angry,  and  resentful.  Lee  was 
afterwards  brought  to  trial  by  court-martial  and  suspended  from  all 
command  for  one  year.  He  addressed  so  insolent  a  letter  to  Con 
gress  that  he  was  dismissed  from  the  service.-"  Lee  being  out  of 
the  way,  the  battle  began.  The  righting  was  furious,  many  of  the 
soldiers  succumbing  to  the  intolerable  heat  and  dust.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Monckton,  of  the  Royal  Grenadiers,  was  killed,  his  body 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  Fortune  wavered  for  a 
time,  but  when  the  fighting  ceased,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  advantage  was  clearly  with  the  Americans.  Washington  now 
impatiently  awaited  the  breaking  of  day  to  complete  his  victory,  but 
during  the  night  Clinton  stole  away,  and,  reaching  Sandy  Hook, 
found  Howe's  fleet  awaiting  him.  The  troops  arrived  in  New  York 
on  the  5th  of  July,  while  Washington,  marching  to  the  Hudson, 
crossed  at  King's  Ferry  and  took  up  position  near  his  old  camp  at 
White  Plains. 

The  battle  of  Monmouth  had  some  striking  features.  In  the  first 
place,  it  was  the  only  battle  of  the  Revolution  in  which  every  one  of 
the  thirteen  colonies  had  representatives  among  the  patriot  forces. 
One  of  the  British  grenadiers  killed  was  the  tallest  man  in  the  army. 
He  was  known  as  the  "  High  Sergeant,"  and  well  deserved  the  name, 
for  his  stature  was  seven  feet  four  inches.  The  name  of  "  Molly 
Pitcher"  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  and 
the  scene  which  made  her  immortal  is  shown  in  bas-relief  on  the 
monument  since  erected  on  the  battle-field.  Molly,  who  was  a  wo 
man  of  powerful  physique,  was  engaged  in  carrying  water  from  a 
spring  for  her  husband,  who  was  a  cannoneer.  The  thirst  of  the 
soldiers  was  torturing,  for  the  thermometer  stood  at  96°  in  the 
shade,  and  the  patriotic  woman  was  kept  busy.  While  thus  em- 

*  That  Lee  was  a  traitor  to  the  cause  which  he  pretended  to  support  has  been  proved 
beyond  question.  Some  years  since,  George  II.  Moore,  LL.D.,  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  secured  possession  of  the  letter  written  by  Lee  while  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  ad 
dressed  to  General  Howe.  It  was  penned  March  29,  1777,  and  the  offer  of  his  services 
to  the  British  commander  was  made  in  unmistakable  terms.  That  they  were  not  accepted 
was  probably  because  Howe  rated  them  at  their  true  value. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

I75S 

TO 
1733 


Victory 
of  the 

Ameri 
cans 


"Molly 
Pitcher' 


COPYRIGHT   1896. 


FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  DRAWING  BY  J.   STEEPLE    DAVIS 

THE  WYOMING  MASSACRE 


CHAP,  xxxiv 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


511 


AM™ICA 


I?83 


ployed,  she  saw  her  husband  fall.  She  ran  to  his  help,  but  he  was  PERIOD  in 
dead  when  she  reached  his  side.  At  that  moment,  an  officer  ordered 
the  gun  to  be  removed  because  he  could  spare  no  one  to  serve  it. 
Molly  asked  that  she  might  be  allowed  to  take  her  dead  husband's 
place.  The  officer  assented,  and  she  handled  the  gun  with  much 
skill  and  courage  throughout  the  battle.  She  was  presented  to 
Washington  after  the  victory,  and  he  not  only  complimented  her, 
but  made  her  a  lieutenant,  while  Congress  granted  her  half-pay  for 
life. 

In  the  city  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  is  a  plain  stone  monument,  mounted 
on  a  pedestal,  bearing  this  inscription  : 

MOLLIE    MCCAULEY. 

Renowned  in  History  as  Mollie  Pitcher, 

The  Heroine  of  Monmouth. 

Died  January,  1833,  aged  79  years. 

Erected  by  the  Citizens  of  Cumberland  Co., 

July  4,  1876. 


D'Estaing  arrived  in  the  Delaware  with  a  French  fleet  on  the  8th 
of  July,  1778.  Howe's  fleet  lay  off  Sandy  Hook  ready  to  co-operate 
with  the  army  in  New  York.  D'Estaing  sailed  thither  to  attack  it, 
but  the  enemy's  vessels  were  all  in  Raritan  Bay,  where  the  heavy 
French  ships  could  not  follow  them,  because  the  water  was  too 
shallow  at  the  bar  above  Sandy  Hook.  Washington  had  sent  Sulli 
van  to  drive  out  the  British  force  from  Newport,  and  he  asked 
D'Estaing  to  help  in  the  enterprise  with  thirty-five  hundred  land 
troops.  D'Estaing  ran  past  the  batteries  near  the  entrance  to 
Narragansett  Bay,  August  8th.  Sullivan's  army  had  been  increased 
to  ten  thousand  men  by  the  addition  of  New  England  troops,  and 
arrangements  were  made  for  the  landing  of  the  French  forces  on 
the  loth;  but,  on  the  day  before,  Sullivan  discovered  that  the 
British  outposts  at  the  northern  end  of  the  island  had  been  aban 
doned,  and  he  crossed  over  from  Tiverton.  At  this  juncture, 
Howe's  fleet  appeared  off  Newport,  and  D'Estaing  sailed  out  to 
attack  it.  A  violent  storm,  however,  came  up  and  scattered  both 
fleets.  D'Estaing  sailed  to  Boston  for  repairs,  while  Howe  returned 
to  New  York. 

D'Estaing  then  came  back  to  Newport.  He  had  promised  to  land 
his  troops  after  the  engagement  at  sea  to  help  Sullivan  in  his  attack. 
Greene  and  Lafayette,  who  each  commanded  a  division,  visited  him 


oFthe 
French 


512  HISTORY   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxiv 

PERIOD  in  on  his  flag-ship  and  urged  him  to  keep  his  promise,  but  he  refused 
AND  FRANCE  ™^  sa^e<^  away  again.     Finding  themselves  deserted  by  their  French 


AMERICA  a^ies>  the  New  England  troops  returned  home,  and  Sullivan  was  left 
with  hardly  six  thousand  men.  Nevertheless,  he  at  once  attacked 
t^ie  enemv-  Sharp  fighting  followed,  and  in  one  case  an  American 
regiment  composed  of  negroes  (who  had  been  promised  their  freedom 
as  a  reward)  repelled  three  fierce  charges  of  the  Hessians.  The 
following  day  word  reached  Sullivan  from  Washington  that  Clinton 
was  hurrying  to  that  point  with  five  thousand  reinforcements  and  or 
dering  him  to  retreat  at  once.  Contrary  winds  so  delayed  the  Eng 
lish  vessels  that  the  American  army  got  safely  away. 

Howe  now  sailed  for  Boston  and  challenged  D'Estaing  to  come 

French    out  and  fight  him.     The  Frenchman  declined,  on  the  plea  that  his 
Coward 

ice       vessels  were  not  fully  repaired.      When    nothing   remained    to  be 

done,  D'Estaing  sailed  for  the  West  Indies,  leaving  the  Americans 
to  do  their  own  fighting.  Previous  to  this,  the  anger  against  the 
Frenchmen,  because  of  their  cowardice,  was  too  strong  to  be  re 
pressed.  Sullivan  and  Greene  denounced  their  breach  of  faith,  and 
the  French  officers  were  insulted  on  the  streets  of  Boston.  A  brawl 
resulted  one  day  in  which  one  of  the  French  officers  was  killed. 
While  gratitude  is  due  to  France  for  her  assistance  to  us  in  those 
trying  days,  it  is  not  the  less  a  fact  that  her  troops  gave  us  no  help 
until  the  Yorktown  campaign.  Whenever  they  were  needed,  duty 
called  them,  so  they  said,  to  the  West  Indies,  where  there  were  colo- 
onies  to  defend  against  England.  Nevertheless,  France  furnished  us 
liberally  with  money  and  supplies. 

The  Wyoming  Valley  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  regions  in  Penn 
sylvania,  lying  between  romantic  mountain  ranges,  and  watered  by 
omin/~  the  Susquehanna,  which  winds  through  it.  Count  Zinzendorf,  the 
Valley  devoted  Moravian  missionary,  was  the  first  visitor  to  the  region,  and 
he  spent  years  laboring  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians.  The 
first  name  applied  to  the  place  was  Westmoreland  County,  and  it  was 
claimed  as  a  part  of  Connecticut  under  the  grant  of  Charles  II. 
About  forty  settlers  from  Connecticut  made  their  homes  in  Wyom 
ing,  some  twenty  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution. 
They  prospered  and  increased  in  numbers,  but  were  alarmed  when 
they  learned  of  the  alliance  between  the  British  and  the  Indians. 
Most  of  the  able-bodied  men  were  absent  in  the  Continental  army, 
and  the  settlers  repeatedly  asked  Congress  to  send  soldiers  to  help  in 


CHAP.  XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


513 


repelling  the  attack  that  they  knew  would  soon  be  made  upon 
them. 

John  Butler  and  his  son  Walter  were  prominent  Tory  leaders  in 
northern  and  western  New  York  and  were  as  merciless  as  the  most 
ferocious  of  the  Indians.  The  elder  Butler,  who  was  a  colonel  in 
the  British  service,  formed  a  plan  for  the  invasion  of  Wyoming, 
whose  beauty  and  helplessness  appealed  to  his  brutal  instincts.  He 
was  visited  by  Tories  from  that  section,  who  showed  him  that  the  raid 
not  only  would  yield  much  plunder  but  would  be  attended  with  little 
danger  to  himself.  Calling  a  number  of  Tories  and  a  large  force  of 
Seneca  warriors  about  him,  he  set  out  in  the  latter  part  of  June  on 
his  errand  of  devastation  and  death.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  a 
cousin  of  the  Tory  leader,  happened  to  be  in  Wyoming,  and  assumed 
command  of  the  old  men,  boys,  and  a  few  soldiers  with  which  to 
defend  their  homes  against  the  invasion.  They  took  refuge  in  the 
structure  known  as  "  Forty  Fort,"  where  the  frightened  women  and 
children  gathered  and  prayerfully  awaited  the  issue  of  battle.  Before 
the  arrival  of  the  enemy,  whiskey  was  distributed  among  the  de 
fenders.  In  those  days,  as  in  still  earlier  Colonial  times,  drinking 
was  more  common  than  it  is  now,  and  the  proceeding  therefore  was 
a  customary  one,  but  the  sad  fact  has  been  established  that  some  of 
the  patriots  drank  so  much  that  they  were  visibly  affected  at  the 
very  time  when  they  needed  full  command  of  their  faculties. 

The  demand  of  the  Tory  Butler  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort  was 
refused.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  was  in  favor  of  acting  on  the  de 
fensive,  but  the  others  clamored  to  be  led  against  the  invaders  in  the 
open  plain,  where  the  patriots  would  have  to  fight  a  foe  three  times 
as  numerous  as  themselves,  and  with  every  advantage  of  position. 
Colonel  Butler  was  overruled,  and,  much  against  his  judgment,  con 
sented  that  the  motley  forces  should  march  out  and  give  the  invaders 
battle.  He  placed  himself  at  their  head,  declaring  that  he  would  go 
as  far  as  any  of  them.  The  fight  was  well  maintained  for  a  time, 
and  the  defenders  were  encouraged  by  a  fair  prospect  of  victory ;  but 
at  the  critical  moment  they  were  thrown  into  confusion  by  a  mis 
taken  order,  and  a  sudden  charge  by  the  Indians  caused  a  panic. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  cruel  massacre  which  has  made  the 
name  of  Wyoming  historic.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  found  it  im 
possible  to  rally  his  men,  of  whom  four-fifths  were  cut  down  while 
fleeing  from  their  foes.  The  women  and  children,  seeing  the  dread- 

33 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Col.  John 
Butler's 
Expedi 
tion 
against 
Wyo 
ming 


The 
Mas 
sacre 


514 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES    CHAP,  xxxiv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


The 
"Shades 

of 
Death" 


Strange 
Escapes 


ful  disaster  that  had  overtaken  their  defenders,  fled  to  the  woods  and 
mountains,  while  others  flocked  to  the  post  known  as  Fort  Wyo 
ming.  This  was  held  by  Colonel  Denison,  who,  under  the  pledge  of 
Colonel  John  Butler  that  none  of  the  people  should  be  harmed,  sur 
rendered.  A  large  number  of  the  garrison  and  scores  of  women  and 
children  were  tomahawked. 

Many  who  knew  what  the  result  of  submission  would  be,  preferred 
to  face  any  peril  rather  than  trust  themselves  to  the  mercy  of  either 
the  Tories  or  the  Indians.  Plunging  into  the  woods,  they  hurried 
towards  the  settlements  on  the  upper  Delaware.  Some  succeeded  in 
reaching  Stroudsburg  and  other  points,  but  having  had  no  time  to 
make  preparation  for  flight,  many  perished  in  the  solitudes  of 
Pocono,  while  others  died  from  hunger,  insomuch  that  the  wild 
region  has  ever  since  been  known  by  the  gruesome  designation  of 
the  "  Shades  of  Death." 

Deeds  too  frightful  for  description  were  enacted  among  those  that 
were  left  behind.  During  those  hot  July  days  and  nights  the  air 
was  heavy  with  the  smoke  of  burning  buildings,  which  were  plun 
dered  and  fired  by  the  invaders.  Men,  women,  and  children  were 
shot  down  and  tortured,  the  most  fiendish  passions  finding  full  indul 
gence,  until,  it  may  be  said,  they  exhauste4  themselves.  Hundreds  of 
people  were  put  to  death  before  the  dreadful  work  came  to  an  end. 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  any  episode  in  the  history  of  our  coun 
try  was  ever  marked  by  a  greater  number  of  extraordinary  escapes 
than  was  the  case  in  the  massacre  of  Wyoming.  One  soldier,  over 
come  by  liquor,  tumbled  down  in  a  wheat-field  and  fell  asleep.  He 
was  roused  by  the  shouting  of  a  fugitive,  who  in  fleeing  from  his 
Indian  pursuers,  who  were  almost  upon  him,  called  to  the  drunken 
man  to  fire  at  them.  The  soldier  mumbled  brokenly,  wobbled  his 
gun  about  for  a  moment,  and,  without  taking  any  aim,  pulled  the 
trigger.  The  bullet  killed  the  foremost  warrior  and  caused  the 
others  to  turn  and  run,  under  the  belief  that  a  party  of  whites  were 
lying  in  wait  to  ambush  them.  Another  fugitive,  after  hastening  for 
hours  through  the  woods  until  worn  out,  knew  from  the  sounds  he 
heard  behind  him  that  the  Indians  were  gaining  and  would  soon 
overtake  him.  Looking  about  for  some  place  to  hide  in,  he  found 
a  hollow  log,  into  which  he  forced  his  way.  He  had  hardly  done  so, 
when  a  spider  began  spinning  its  web  across  the  mouth  of  the  log, 
and  was  thus  at  work  on  its  gossamer  fabric,  when  his  two  Indian 


CHAP.   XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


515 


pursuers   sat   down   on   the   fallen   tree.     The  fugitive   heard    their   PERIOD  in 

voices  and  the  sound  of  the  bullets  rattling  in  their  pouches.     By 

and  by,  it  occurred  to  one  of  them  that  the  white  man  whom  they 

were  seeking  might  be  hiding  in  the  log.     The  warrior  went  to  the 

end  of  it,  stooped  down  and  peeped  in,  but  the  spider's  web  satisfied 

him  that  no  one  had  passed  inside,  and  he  did  not   investigate  fur- 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


^^'  V 

^ 


SAVED  BY  A  SPIDER'S  WEB 

ther.  After  the  two  had  been  gone  for  some  time,  the  scared  fugi 
tive  crept  out  of  his  hiding-place,  and  after  much  suffering  and  pri 
vation  reached  his  friends  in  New  York  State. 

Again,  sixteen  captives  were  ranged  around  a  large  flat  stone, 
while  a  fury,  in  the  person  of  "  Queen  Esther,"  as  she  was  called, 
began  braining  them  with  a  death-maul.  Two  young  men  suddenly 


"  Queen 
Esther" 


Si6 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP,  xxxiv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Frances 
Slocum 


British 
Praise  of 
Indian 
Atroc 
ities 


leaped  to  their  feet  and  dashed  off  at  the  top  of  their  speed,  pursued 
by  several  warriors,  who,  however,  did  not  fire,  because  they  wished 
to  make  them  prisoners  that  they  might  undergo  the  death  meted 
out  to  the  others.  One  of  the  young  men  tripped  in  a  running  vine 
and  rolled  down  the  river  bank  under  the  heavy  branches  of  a  fallen 
tree.  He  lay  still  and  his  pursuers  passed  on  without  suspecting  his 
hiding-place.  Later  on,  he  stole  out,  and  in  the  darkness  made  his 
way  to  Wilkesbarre.  His  friend  leaped  into  the  river,  and,  though 
repeatedly  fired  upon,  managed  by  diving  and  desperate  swimming 
to  reach  the  other  shore,  where  he  caught  and  mounted  a  wandering 
horse  and  escaped  without  any  serious  wounds.  One  of  the  poor 
fugitives  hiding  on  Monocacy  Island  was  discovered  by  a  Tory,  who 
proved  to  be  his  own  brother,  and  who,  heedless  of  his  prayers  for 
mercy,  put  him  to  death.  Some  time  after  the  massacre,  little 
Frances  Slocum,  about  six  years  old,  was  stolen  by  Indians  and  car 
ried  off.  Her  mother  searched  for  her  for  twenty  years,  and  died 
without  having  obtained  the  first  clue  of  her  lost  child.  Her  broth 
ers,  who  had  become  prosperous  and  wealthy  men,  continued  the 
search  for  many  years  without  success,  and  then,  convinced  that  their 
sister  was  dead,  gave  up  the  search.  Yet  she  was  alive  all  these 
years,  and  many  a  time  was  within  reach  of  her  friends,  from  whom 
she  carefully  hid  herself,  for  she  had  become  an  Indian  in  all  but 
blood.  Sixty  years  after  Frances  Slocum  was  stolen  by  the  Indians, 
she  was  found  by  her  brothers,  between  whom  and  herself  affec 
tionate  relations  were  established  and  lasted  till  her  death. 

Who  would  suppose  that  any  defenders  of  the  atrocities  of  the 
Indians  could  be  found  among  enlightened  people  ?  Yet  the  British 
secretary  for  the  colonies  praised  the  savages  for  their  bravery  and 
humanity,  and  encouraged  them  to  continue  their  raids  at  other 
points  on  the  frontier.  In  the  appropriations  for  the  support  of  the 
army  was  one  for  "  scalping-knives."  What  a  reproach  to  a  civilized 
nation ! 

Other  sections  beside  Wyoming  suffered  from  the  ferocity  alike  of 
the  Tories  and  the  Indians.  Urged  by  the  British  agents,  who 
stopped  at  no  means  of  harrying  the  patriots,  the  miscreants  struck 
whenever  the  opportunity  offered.  Sir  William  Johnson  was  the 
British  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  in  New  York,  and  possessed 
great  influence  over  the  powerful  league  of  the  Six  Nations. 
Through  his  exertions  most  of  the  tribes  made  common  cause 


CHAP,  xxxi  v  EVENTS    OF    1778  517 

against  the  patriots,  though  a  number  refused  to  take  part,  and  some  PERIOD  in 
even  showed  a  friendly  disposition  to  the  Americans.     Brant,  the  J^fJJJSi 
Mohawk  chieftain,  was  a  relative  by  blood  of  Johnson,  and  gave  him    AM™ICA 
great  aid  in  his  evil  work.     Spies  and  scouts  were  sent    out,  and       ^S8 
the  reports  they  brought  back  led  to  numerous  raiding  expeditions       1783 
among     the    whites    on    the    frontier. 
Brant  organized  parties  of  his  warriors 
on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Susquehanna, 
whose  object  was  to  secure  all  the  white 
scalps  possible.     These  parties  threaded 
their  way  through  the  gloomy  forests, 
with  the  silence    of   shadows,  and  de 
scended    like  wolves  upon  the  exposed 
settlements.       Often     the     slumbering 
pioneer  was  awakened  in  the  depth  of 
night  by  the  ringing  war-whoop  and  the 
crack  of  the  red  men's  rifles.     His  de 
fence,  however  brave,  was  in  vain,  and 
he    was    shot    down    on   the    threshold  JOSEPH  BRANT 

while  fighting  for  his  family,  who  suffered  the  same  fate  or  were  car 
ried  off  captives  to  undergo  torture  and  a  lingering  death.  Often 
the  darkness  was  lit  up  by  the  glare  of  burning  dwellings,  and  the 
rescue  party,  hastening  to  the  scene,  arrived  too  late  to  save  the  hap 
less  ones,  who  dreaded  the  dusky  warriors  no  more  than  the  Tories, 
many  of  whom  had  formerly  been  neighbors  and  had  eaten  at  their 
tables.  Even  before  the  fearful  visitation  of  Wyoming  Valley,  the 
settlement  of  Springfield,  at  the  head  of  Otsego  Lake,  was  laid  in 
ashes.  In  the  following  month,  Cobleskill  was  attacked  by  Brant, 
who  slew  most  of  the  troops  stationed  there  and  burned  the  houses. 
Schoharie  County  wa  skept  in  a  continual  state  of  alarm  by  these  raids. 
In  the  month  of  November,  during  a  driving  storm  of  snow  and 
sleet,  a  force  of  Tories,  led  by  Walter  N.  Butler,  and  of  Indians 
under  Brant;  descended  upon  Cherry  Valley,  which  was  unprepared 
for  defence.  In  this  instance,  Butler  showed  himself  lacking  in  Descent 


every  trait  of  manliness,  and  equally  devoid  of  mercy.     Brant  was 

his  superior  in  those  respects,  and  repeatedly  appealed  to  him  to     Valley 

treat  the  white  people  with  consideration  ;  but  Butler  turned  a  deaf 

ear  to  his  protests.     Sixteen  soldiers  belonging  to  the  weak  garrison 

were  killed  and  twice  as   many  women  and   children  were  put  to 


5i8  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES      CHAP,  xxxrv 

PERIOD  in  death.     Then  Butler  gathered  forty  miserable  men,  women,  and  chil- 

A?DFRAN?E  ^ren  as   captives-     A  bitterly  cold  storm  was  still  raging,  and  the 

AMERICA     prisoners  were  only  half-clothed.     Their  sufferings  were  beyond  de- 

J758       scription,  for  when  a  halt  was  made,  they  had  no  shelter,  and  could 

I?83       only  huddle  together  on  the  wet,  cold  ground,   so  woe-begone  and 

distressed  that  death  would  have  been  a  welcome  relief. 

The  32-gun  frigate  Randolph  was  the  first  of  the  vessels  ordered 
by  Congress,  in  1775,  to  get  to  sea.  She  left  Philadelphia  in  Feb 
ruary,  1777,  with  general  cruising  orders.  Some  weeks  later  she 
Naval  put  into  Charleston  with  six  prizes.  She  was  blockaded  in  that  port 
tfons  until  the  following  year,  when  she  sailed  with  several  State  ships  of 
South  Carolina.  On  March  7th,  while  eastward  of  the  Barbadoes,  the 
64-gun  ship  Yarmouth  was  sighted.  By  order  of  Captain  Nicholas 
Biddle,  of  the  Randolph,  the  weaker  consorts  made  all  sail,  while  he 
stayed  to  fight  the  formidable  antagonist.  The  battle  had  continued 
an  hour,  when  a  shot  entered  the  Randolph s  magazine  and  she  blew 
up,  sinking  in  a  few  seconds.  Out  of  her  three  hundred  and  fifteen 
men,  only  four  escaped,  and  they,  after  floating  about  on  some  spars 
for  five  days,  having  only  rain-water  to  quench  their  thirst,  which 
they  imbibed  by  means  of  a  saturated  blanket,  were  picked  up  by  the 
Yarmouth. 

Paul  Jones  towers  head  and  shoulders  above  all  the  other  naval 
heroes  of  the  Revolution.  In  command  of  the  i8-gun  ship  Ranger, 
he  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  on  November  I,  1777.  He  secured 
Paul  a  number  of  prizes,  performed  many  heroic  deeds,  and  to  strike  a  de- 
t'01  cisive  blow  at  the  British  resolved  to  set  fire  to  the  shipping  in  White- 
haven,  a  city  of  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  in  Cumberland,  and  thus 
"put  an  end,  by  one  good  fire  in  England  of  shipping,  to  all  burnings 
in  America."  These  words  are  quoted  from  Captain  Jones'  memo 
rial  to  Congress. 

Late  on  the  night  of  April  22d,  two  boats,  containing  thirty  men 
between  them,  left  the  Ranger,  Jones  commanding  one  and  Lieu 
tenant  Wallingford  the  other.  There  were  streakings  of  light  in  the 
east,  as  the  boats  parted  company  at  the  outer  pier  of  the  harbor. 
When  Lieutenant  Wallingford  reached  land,  his  candle  was  burned 
out,  and  he  gave  up  the  attempt  he  had  in  view.  Meanwhile,  a  weak 
fort  on  the  south  side  of  the  harbor  was  captured  by  Jones,  the  guns 
spiked,  and  the  garrison  made  prisoners.  Jones  directed  a  squad  of 


CHAP.   XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


519 


men  to  set  fire  to  the  shipping,  while  he  and  the  others  of  the  attack 
ing  expedition  ran  to  a  second  fort,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  where 
the  guns  were  also  spiked.  Hurrying  back,  he  was  incensed  to  find 
that  his  orders  to  set  fire  to  the  shipping  had  been  disobeyed.  The 
excuse  offered  was  that  the  candles  had  gone  out. 

The  situation  was  exasperating,  but  Jones  was  not  the  man  to  be 
balked  in  this  manner.  The  sun  was  above  the  horizon  and  the  alarm 
had  been  spread,  it  is  believed,  by  one  of  his  own  men,  who  deserted 
the  boats  after  the  landing  was  made.  Jones  himself  ran  into  the 
houses  at  hand,  got  a  light,  and  began  the  work  of  destruction  by 
boarding  a  large  vessel,  starting  a  fire  in  her  hold,  and  throwing  a 
barrel  of  tar  over  the  flames,  which  burned  furiously.  Fully  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  other  vessels  inclosed  this  ship,  some  of  them  of  large 
size,  and  it  looked  for  a  time  as  if  all  were  doomed.  Despite  the  great 
peril  of  the  Americans,  they  embarked  with  coolness  at  the  end  of  the 
pier,  while  Jones,  facing  about,  held  his  pistol  levelled  at  the  crowd 
gathered  at  the  other  end  of  the  wharf,  and  kept  them  at  bay  until 
the  ship  that  had  been  fired  was  ablaze.  Then  he  quietly  stepped 
down  into  the  boat  and  was  rowed  to  the  Ranger.  The  townspeople 
then  rushed  to  the  endangered  shipping,  and,  by  dint  of  vigorous 
work,  succeeded  in  preventing  the  spread  of  the  flames.  The  with 
drawing  boats  would  have  been  fired  upon,  with  the  result  probably 
of  many  casualties,  had  not  the  guns  been  spiked.  As  a  consequence 
not  a  man  in  them  was  injured. 

Jones  had  another  purpose  in  his  descent  upon  this  part  of  the 
coast.  He  intended  to  capture  the  Earl  of  Selkirk,  a  Scottish  noble 
man,  whose  country-seat  was  on  the  Isle  of  St.  Mary,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Dee,  and  hold  him  as  a  hostage  for  the  better  treatment  of  the 
Americans  in  English  prisons.  The  house  was  secretly  surrounded 
at  night,  but,  luckily  for  the  earl,  he  was  absent.  The  men,  without 
the  knowledge  of  Jones,  brought  away  several  hundred  dollars'  worth 
of  silver  plate,  all  of  which  was  returned  by  the  captain  with  a  letter 
of  apology  for  the  misconduct  of  his  crew. 

Even  so  daring  a  man  as  Paul  Jones  saw  that  it  would  not  do  for 
him  to  remain  much  longer  in  that  neighborhood,  for  the  country  was 
fully  aroused  and  cruisers  from  various  quarters  were  hastening  to  at 
tack  the  Ranger.  On  April  24th,  therefore,  he  crossed  over  to  Carrick- 
fergus,  in  the  hope  that  the  Drake,  an  English  sloop-of-war  at  anchor 
there,  would  fight  him.  The  Englishman  accepted  the  battle,  and  the 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Jones' 
Descent 

upon 
White- 
haven 


Failure 

of  the 

Attack 


520 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxiv 


AND  FRANCE 
AMERICA 


1783 


PERIOD  in  engagement  took  place  in  mid-channel,  "  in  sight  of  three  kingdoms." 
^ne  Drake  had  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  sixty,  who  at  the  end  '  of 
an  ^our  struck  their  flag  to  the  Ranger,  whese  men  numbered  only 
one  hundred  and  twenty-three.  A  month  after  starting  upon  this 
cruise,  Jones  returned  to  France,  arriving  there  May  8th,  having  ac 
complished  more  than  had  hitherto  been  done  in  the  dauntless 
annals  of  American  seamanship. 

Despite  the  many  successes  of  the  American  navy,  the  country 
lost  a  great  many  cruisers.  When  the  year  1778  closed,  we  had  only 
fourteen  vessels  of  war,  with  a  total  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-two 
guns.  Against  this  insignificant  force  was  to  be  set  the  one  hun 
dred  and  eighty  ships  of  England,  of  which  eighty-nine,  with  a  total 
of  2,576  guns,  were  stationed  in  American  waters. 


_. 
Finan 

cial 

of  the* 
States 


South 


Congress  had  returned  to  Philadelphia  in  July,  after  its  evacua 
tion  by  the  British,  and  devoted  a  portion  of  each  week  to  financial 
matters.  Fifteen  million  dollars  in  bills  of  credit  were  issued  in 
September,  but  their  value  depreciated,  so  that  the  only  resource 
seemed  to  be  an  appeal  to  France,  which  had  shown  so  friendly  an 
interest  in  the  struggle  of  the  colonies  for  independence.  A  humili 
ating  plea  was  made  to  the  king  of  that  country,  and  an  agent  was 
sent  to  the  Netherlands  to  negotiate  a  loan  at  The  Hague.  The 
financial  distress  of  the  States  awakened  the  belief  in  England  that 
the  war  could  be  pushed  to  a  speedy  conclusion.  Congress  gave  up 
its  hopeless  task  of  conquering  Canada,  and  decided  that  Washing 
ton  should  act  on  the  defensive,  except  in  making  retaliatory  expe 
ditions  against  the  Tories  and  Indians. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  war  which  had  opened  in  Massachu 
setts  was  steadily  drifting  southward.  Great  campaigns  had  been 
fought  in  what  are  known  as  the  Middle  States,  which  continued  to 
be  the  theatre  of  operations  for  several  years.  In  the  extreme  South, 
matters  were  in  a  deplorable  condition.  Tories  were  numerous,  and 
in  many  places  civil  war  reigned.  The  patriots  were  so  few  in 
numbers  that  the  enemy  prepared  a  careful  campaign  for  the  capture 
of  Savannah  and  the  conquest  of  Georgia.  Five  thousand  additional 
tro°Ps  were  to  be  landed  at  Charleston,  and  a  strong  force  of  Indians 
was  to  be  brought  from  Florida  and  Alabama  to  assail  the  frontier 
settlements,  while  the  commandant  at  Detroit  was  to  send  others  to 
join  them  from  the  Northwest. 


CHAP.  XXXIV 


EVENTS    OF    1778 


521 


General  Prevost,  who  was  in  command  of  a  mixed  force  of  regulars, 
Tories,  and  Indians  in  East  Florida,  sent  two  expeditions  in  the 
autumn  of  the  year  from  St.  Augustine,  Florida.  They  com 
mitted  many  outrages  and  brought  away  an  enormous  amount  of 
plunder.  In  the  latter  part  of  November,  Clinton  despatched  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Campbell,  with  two  thousand  troops,  to  invade 
Georgia.  The  troops  went  by  the  sea  and  landed  at  Savannah,  on 
the  morning  of  December  29th.  The  patriot  general,  Robert  Howe, 
of  North  Carolina,  with  less  than  a  thousand  dispirited  men  hurried 
up  from  Sunbury,  and  three  miles  below  Savannah,  at  Brewton's 
Hill,  fought  a  battle  with  a  much  superior  force  and  was  badly  de 
feated.  In  the  flight  through  rice-fields  and  streams,  a  hundred  pa 
triots  were  drowned  and  four  hundred  made  prisoners.  The  others 
who  succeeded  in  escaping  took  refuge  in  South  Carolina,  while  the 
enemy  occupied  Savannah. 

The  lack  of  money  and  credit  compelled  the  closing  of  the  cam 
paign  in  the  autumn  of  1778.  The  relative  position  of  the  invaders 
and  patriots  was  much  the  same  as  at  the  close  of  1776.  The  head 
quarters  of  the  British  were  in  New  York,  and  those  of  Washington 
in  New  Jersey.  The  patriots,  however,  had  learned  much  in  the 
science  of  war ;  they  were  still  strong  and  ardent  in  their  resolution 
to  be  free,  and,  fortunately,  they  at  length  gained  the  help  of  one  of 
the  most  powerful  nations  of  Europe. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


Close  of 

the 
Cam 
paign 


General 

Lincoln 

in  the 

South 


CHAPTER    XXXV 
EVENTS   OF  7779     (°N  LAND   AND    SEA) 

[A utho rities  :  The  policy  of  the  British  Government  and  the  war  movements  of  the 
royal  commanders  in  America  during  1779  were  a  perplexity  to  Washington.  Attention 
had  been  turned  by  the  British  to  the  South,  where  it  was  supposed  the  monarchical  feel 
ing  was  still  strong,  and  Tory  influence  was  active.  Georgia  was  overrun  by  the  royal 
troops,  while  from  New  York,  also  in  British  hands,  Sir  Henry  Clinton  *  kept  an  eye  on 
weak  points  in  the  North,  in  the  hope  of  striking  a  blow  that  might  wipe  out  the  mem 
ory  of  the  surrender  at  Saratoga.  The  Hudson  was  specially  menaced,  yet  here  General 
Wayne  ("  Mad  Anthony,"  as  he  was  called)  was  able  to  retake  Stony  Point,  "  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  achievements  of  the  war,"  as  Washington  Irving  remarks.  General  Sulli 
van  was  able  also  to  carry  terror  into  the  Indian  cantonments  in  the  Genessee  Valley  and 
so  checkmate  Tory  designs,  in  concert  with  their  savage  allies.  Roger  Clarke's  successes, 
moreover,  in  the  Illinois  country,  and  Evan  Selby's  expedition  against  the  Chickamaugas 
had  their  good  effects  in  repressing  Indian  raids  and  violence.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
country  stiff ered  severely  from  the  stress  of  the  situation  generally,  and  particularly  from 
the  marauding  expeditions  of  the  British  both  up  the  Chesapeake  and  along  the  coast 
of  Connecticut.  At  sea,  the  year,  however,  brought  its  triumphs  in  the  daring  heroism 
of  Paul  Jones, f  whose  harrying  of  the  British  coasts  and  destruction  of  English  shipping 
were  happy  offsets  to  American  embarrassments  and  losses  on  land.  The  authorities  for 
the  period,  besides  the  general  histories  already  mentioned,  are  the  lives  of  Paul  Jones 
and  Maclay's  "  History  of  the  United  States  Navy."] 

:NERAL  BENJAMIN  LINCOLN,  of  Massachu 
setts,  had  been  appointed  to  the  chief  command 
of  the  patriot  troops  in  the  South,  and  arrived  in 
South  Carolina  early  in  January,  1779.  He  rnade 
his  headquarters  at  Purysburg,  twenty-five  miles 
north  of  Savannah,  where  he  set  to  work  to  form 
an  army  to  resist  the  British  invasion.  He  had 
poor  material  to  draw  from,  consisting  of  raw  recruits,  a  few  Con- 

*  Major-General  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  K.B.   [1738-1795],  who  figures  prominently  in 
f  Paul  Jones  [1748-1792],  familiarly  known  as  Commodore  Paul  Jones,  though  his 


CHAP,  xxxv  EVENTS    OF    1779  523 

tinental    regiments,    and    the    remnants  of  the    defeated    troops    of    PERIOD  HI 

Howe  ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

Campbell  was   in  high  spirits  over  his   capture  of   Savannah,  and     AM^ICA 
pushed  his   conquest  of  the  region  with  great  vigor.      He  promised       *758 
to  protect  all  the  inhabitants  on  condition  that  the  able-bodied  men       1783 
among  them  should  rally  to  his  support,  and  the  prisoners  who  re 
fused  this  were   thrust  into  filthy  prison-ships,  where  many  died  of     Camp- 
disease.      His  bitter  persecution,   however,   only  made   the  patriots   Cruelties 
here,  as  elsewhere,  more  determined  in  their  struggle  for  independ 
ence.      In  August,  Campbell,  with  a  force  of  two  thousand  men,  ad 
vanced  up  the  Georgia  side  of  the   Savannah   River  to  Augusta,  to 
help  the  Tories,  open  communication  with  the  Creek   Indians  in  the 

the  events  of  the  Revolutionary  War  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  cjjr 
America,  was  the  son  of  Admiral  George  Clinton,  Governor  of  Newfoundland,  and  from  Henry 
1743  to  1753  Governor  of  New  York.  At  an  early  age,  he  served  in  the  New  York  mil-  Clinton 
itia,  and  in  1751  became  a  lieutenant  in  the  Coldstream  Guards,  and  later  colonel  in  the 
Grenadier  Guards.  With  the  latter  corps  he  lirst  saw  active  service  in  Hanover  during 
the  Seven  Years'  War.  In  1775,  he  came  again  to  America,  with  Generals  Howe 
and  Burgoyne,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  In  the  following  year  he  was 
appointed  second  in  command  to  Sir  William  Howe,  whom  he  afterwards  succeeded,  and 
was  present  at  the  battle  of  Long  Island  and  the  capture  of  New  York.  When  he  at 
tained  to  full  command  of  the  king's  forces  in  America,  he  made  New  York  his  head 
quarters,  and  thence  sent  our  predatory  expeditions  in  various  directions,  chiefly  on  the 
New  England  and  Southern  coasts.  In  May,  1781,  Clinton  resigned  in  favor  of  Sir 
Guy  Carleton  and  returned  to  England,  where  he  published,  in  reply  to  Cornwallis' 
strictures,  a  "  Narrative,"  reciting  his  connection  with  affairs  in  America.  Subsequently 
he  entered  Parliament,  but,  on  being  appointed  Governor  of  Gibraltar,  he  proceeded 
thither,  and,  about  eighteen  months  afterwards  (December,  1795),  died  at  that  post. 

family  name  was  Paul,  was  a  Scottish  seaman,  early  engaged  in  trade  with  America,  and 
at  one  time  mate  of  a  slave-ship  in  the  West  Indies.  In  1773,  he  appears  to  have  set 
tled  in  Virginia,  where  he  had  inherited  property,  and  there  took  the  name  of  Jones.  John 
Two  years  later,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  he  became  a  lieutenant  Paul 
in  the  United  States  Navy,  on  board  the  Alfred,  and  subsequently  was  appointed  her  Jones 
commander.  In  the  North  Atlantic,  and  especially  in  Acadian  and  New  England  wa 
ters,  Jones  carried  terror  to  many  a  British  merchant  craft,  bringing  several  prizes  into 
American  ports.  Subsequently,  Congress  gave  him  the  command  successively  of  the 
Ranger  and  the  JRonhomme  Richard^  in  both  of  which  he  conducted  audacious  expeditions 
in  British  seas,  carrying  his  conquests  into  French  ports,  and  made  several  daring  de 
scents  on  the  coasts  of  both  England  and  Scotland.  In  1779,  his  command  extended 
over  a  small  squadron  of  ships,  which  did  much  havoc  among  vessels  flying  the  British 
flag,  capturing  or  destroying  as  many  as  twenty-six  vessels.  His  most  signal  conquest 
was  the  one  narrated  in  the  text,  the  sanguinary  combat  with  the  Serapis  and  her  con 
sort,  off  Scarborough.  This  achievement  practically  ended  his  career  in  the  United 
States  service,  for  after  the  war  he  entered  the  Russian  navy  as  an  admiral  and  served 
against  the  Turks  in  the  Black  Sea.  Falling  into  disfavor  at  the  Russian  court,  he  was 
shortly  afterwards  relieved  of  his  command,  whereupon  he  retired  to  Paris  on  a  pension, 
where  he  died  in  1792. 


524  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 

PERIOD  in  West,  and  crush  all  patriots  who  dared  to  resist  him.  A  band  of 
Tories,  while  on  the  way  to  join  the  royal  troops,  devastated  a  pbr- 
^on  °^  tne  South  Carolina  border.  The  patriots  rallied  under  Colo- 
nel  Andrew  Pickens,  and  chasing  them  across  the  Savannah,  killed 
1783  a  hundred  of  them.  A  few  days  later,  Pickens  defeated  them  again 
on  Kettle  Creek,  killing  seventy  of  the  Tories,  including  Boyd,  the 
commander,  and  taking  seventy-five  prisoners.  Of  the  latter,  five 
were  hanged  on  a  charge  of  treason.  Francis  Marion,  the  "  Swamp 
Fox"  of  the  Carolinas,  also  struck  many  effective  blows,  for  he  and 
his  men  were  familiar  with  the  country,  moved  swiftly  and  secretly, 
The  appearing  in  the  most  unexpected  places,  and  inspiring  terror  by 
Conquest  tnejr  dispatch  and  daring.  Lincoln  was  encouraged  by  the  success 
Georgia  of  Pickens,  and  gathered  three  thousand  men  in  camp.  He  sent 
General  Ashe,  .with  two  thousand  troops  and  several  pieces  of  can 
non,  to  drive  Campbell  from  Augusta,  and  to  keep  the  invaders  in 
the  low  and  unhealthy  regions  along  the  coast.  Crossing  the  Sa 
vannah  near  Augusta,  Ashe  pursued  Campbell  towards  the  sea  as  far 
as  Brier  Creek,  forty  miles  distant,  where  he  went  into  camp,  with 
his  flanks  protected  by  swamps.  Prevost,  who  was  marching  with  a 
strong  force  to  the  help  of  Campbell,  discovered  Ashe,  and  by  a  wide 
detour  gained  his  rear.  Then,  March  3,  1779,  he  made  an  unex 
pected  attack  on  the  patriots,  who  fled  in  every  direction,  after  suffer 
ing  severe  loss.  So  complete  was  the  overthrow  that  only  a  few 
hundreds  rejoined  Lincoln.  Prevost  now  declared  the  re-establish 
ment  of  royal  authority  in  Georgia,  which  became  virtually  a  recon 
quered  province  of  the  crown. 

Meanwhile,  the  British  Major  Gardiner  had  been  sent  from  Sa 
vannah  to  take  possession  of  Port  Royal  Island,  preparatory  to  a 
march  upon  Charleston  ;  but  early  in  February  he  was  defeated  with 

severe  loss  bv  General  Moultrie.  after  which  Moultrie  with  his  men 
Critical  * 

Situa-     joined    Lincoln   at    Purysburg.      On    the    23d    of    April,    Lincoln 

South1     marched  up  the  Savannah  with  the  main  body  of  his  army,   but 

Carolina  Prevost  had  dispatched  a  detachment  of  his  troops  into  South  Caro 

lina  to  check  the  invasion.     He  had  with  him  twenty-five  hundred 

soldiers,  besides  a  considerable  body  of  Indians.     Moultrie,  who  was 

at  Black  Swamp  with  about  one-third  as  many  men,  made  a  politic 

retreat,  burning  the  bridges  behind  him.     After  this  many  of  his 

troops  deserted,  and  the  situation  in  South  Carolina  thus  became 

extremely  critical. 


CHAP.  XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


525 


Emboldened  by  the  position  of  affairs,  Prevost  pushed  into  South 
Carolina,  with  the  intention  of  capturing  Charleston.  The  city  made 
every  preparation  to  resist  the  attack,  and  Prevost  decided  that  the 
chances  of  success  were  too  slight  to  warrant  the  risk,  so  he  with 
drew,  and  the  hot  weather  prevented  any  important  movements  until 
autumn.  In  September,  it  was  determined  to  make  an  attempt  to 
recapture  Savannah,  and  D'Estaing,  who  returned  from  the  West 
Indies,  agreed  to  help.  He  appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  with 
twenty-two  sail  of  the  line,  a  number  of  small  vessels,  and  six  thou- 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCK 

IN 

AMERICA 
1753 

TO 
1783 


CAPTURE  OF  STONY  POINT 

sand  troops,  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  city.  Prevost  asked 
for  a  suspension  of  hostilities,  and  unfortunately  it  was  conceded. 
The  delay  granted  gave  Prevost  time  to  complete  his  already  strong 
defences,  to  mount  his  guns,  and  to  receive  a  reinforcement  of  eight 
hundred  men  from  Port  Royal.  He  now  replied  to  D'Estaing  that  he 
would  defend  the  place  to  the  last.  Reinforcements  had  also,  mean 
while,  reached  D'Estaing,  consisting  of  the  troops  of  Lincoln,  Colonel 
Mclntosh,  and  Count  Pulaski.  The  bombardment  which  ensued  was 
continued  for  several  days,  but  produced  so  little  effect  that  the  at 
tempt  was  made  to  carry  the  works  by  storm.  The  assaulting 
troops  consisted  of  three  thousand  French  and  fifteen  hundred 


Failure 
to  recap 
ture  Sa 
vannah 


526 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


The 
Cam 
paign  in 

the 
North 


Capture 

of  Stony 

Point 


Americans,  who  fought  with  splendid  bravery.  D'Estaing  led  his 
own  men,  and  displayed  the  highest  heroism,  being  twice  wounded. 
Count  Pulaski  was  mortally  hurt,  and  the  brave  Sergeant  Jasper,  of 
Fort  Sullivan  fame,  fell.  The  battle  raged  for  over  an  hour,  when 
the  assailants  were  driven  back,  with  the  loss  of  more  than  a  thou 
sand  killed  and  wounded,  while  the  British  had  less  than  fifty  killed. 
The  siege  was  finally  abandoned,  the  Americans  recrossing  the  Sa 
vannah  and  returning  to  Charleston,  while  the  French  fleet  again 
sailed  to  the  West  Indies.  The  failure  of  this  enterprise  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  Union,  especially  in  the  South. 

In  the  North,  the  campaign  made  little  progress.  Clinton  sent 
out  marauding  excursions,  which  either  plundered  or  burned  Nor- 
walk,  Fairfield,  and  New  Haven.  The  brutal  Try  on  was  the  leader 
in  the  latter  expedition,  and  declared  that  he  had  shown  undeserved 
mercy  to  the  rebels  in  allowing  a  single  house  to  remain  standing  on 
the  New  England  coast.  General  Putnam  was  at  Horse  Neck  when 
Tryon  arrived  in  the  neighborhood.  He  hurriedly  gathered  a  few 
militia,  greatly  annoyed  the  British,  and,  when  compelled  to  flee, 
dashed  his  horse  down  a  precipice,  whither  the  British  dragoons, 
dared  not  follow. 

General  Wayne,  often  called  "  Mad  Anthony  "  because  of  his  reck 
less  daring,  performed  one  of  the  most  brilliant  exploits  of  the  war 
in  the  summer  of  1779.  He  learned  the  countersign  at  Stony  Point 
from  a  negro,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  selling  fruit  to  the  English. 
In  the  darkness  of  a  sultry  night,  the  troops  followed  the  negro  to 
the  causeway  leading  over  the  submerged  marsh  around  the  foot  of 
the  hill  on  which  the  fort  stood.  The  guide  gave  the  countersign 
to  the  sentinel,  who  was  seized  the  next  moment  and  gagged.  Pass 
ing  over  the  causeway,  Wayne  and  his  men  reached  the  base  of  the 
hill  undetected  Then  they  formed  in  two  divisions,  with  unloaded 
muskets  and  fixed  bayonets,  and  stealthily  made  their  way  to  the  top. 
They  were  not  discovered  until  almost  in  front  of  the  picket,  when 
fire  was  opened  on  the  Americans.  Wayne  was  at  the  head  of  his. 
troops  and  fell  wounded.  He  asked  his  men  to  carry  him  into  the 
fort  that  he  might  die  there.  Before  they  could  do  so,  he  changed 
his  mind  and  "  decided  not  to  die."  Joining  in  the  resistless  rush,, 
the  patriots  swept  everything  before  them.  The  fort  was  taken,, 
with  the  loss  to  the  defenders  of  six  hundred  in  killed,  wounded,, 
and  prisoners. 


CHAP.  XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


527 


The   atrocities   of   the   Indians  at  Wyoming,  Cherry  Valley,  and    PERIOD  in 
other  places   kept   the   settlers   in   a  state  of  constant  terror.      Re-     ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

solved  to  end  this  woful  condition  of  affairs,  General  Sullivan  was 
sent  into  the  Indian  country  with  an  effective  army,  against  which 
no  successful  opposition  could  well  be  made.  This  formidable  cam 
paign  was  against  the  Iroquois,  or  Six  Nations,  all  of  whom,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Oneidas  and  a  few  Mohawks,  had  been  guilty  of 


IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


FIRST  NAVAL    BATTLE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

frightful  outrages.     An  opposing  force  was  routed  (August  .29th) 

near  where   Elmira  now   stands,  and   then   Sullivan   completed  his    Punish- 

work  with  appalling  thoroughness.     He  left  more  than  forty  Indian       the 

villages  in  ashes,  and  laid  waste  the  harvest  fields  so  ruthlessly  that    Iro<luois 

during  the  severe  winter  which  followed  many  of  the  savages  died  of 

starvation  and  disease.     A  fertile,  well-cultivated  country  was  thus, 

in  a  single  campaign,  turned  into  a  desert. 

One  of  the  most  important  successes  of  the  war  was  that  of 
George  Rogers  Clarke,  in  the  Illinois  country,  begun  the  previous 
year.  Clarke,  like  Washington,  was  convinced  that  the  many  Indian 


528  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 

PERIOD  in  outrages  that  had  taken  place  were  due  to  some  direct  inciting  cause. 
ENGLAND     He  discovered  that  the  British  posts  of  Detroit,  Kaskaskia,  and  Vin- 

AND  FRANCE  .  .    . 

IN         cennes  furnished  the  savages  with  the  arms  and  ammunition  with 

AMERICA 

1758       which  they  devastated   the   surrounding  country.     At   his  request, 

1783       Governor  Patrick  Henry,  of  Virginia,  authorized  him  to  move  against 

the   Indians  of  the  West.     He  gathered  a  company  of  Virginians 

Clarke's   from  the  Holston,  with  three  companies  of  Kentuckians,  and  set  out 

dftum      f°r  ^e  nostile  country.     A  fort  was  built  on  Corn   Island,  at  the 

Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and,  landing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee,  they 

marched  across  the  present  State  of  Illinois  to  Kaskaskia. 

By  a  brilliant  dash,  the  garrison  was  surprised  and  disarmed 
without  the  loss  of  a  man  on  either  side.  Pressing  on,  Clarke  cap 
tured  Fort  Cahokia,  a  French  post,  where  the  French,  learning  that 
their  country  had  acknowledged  our  independence,  cheered  for 
America  and  freedom.  Hurrying  forward  to  Vincennes,  that  post 
(Fort  St.  Vincent)  surrendered  without  firing  a  gun,  and  the  gar 
rison  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Virginia.  When  the  British 
governor,  Hamilton,  at  Detroit,  learned  of  this,  he  was  indignant, 
and  with  a  strong  force  recaptured  Vincennes  in  the  following  De 
cember.  Two  months  later,  Clarke  was  there  again  and  compelled 
the  garrison  a  second  time  to  surrender.  Finding  proof  that  Governor 
Hamilton,  who  was  now  a  captive,  had  been  active  in  persuading  the 
Indians  to  commit  their  cruelties,  Clarke  sent  him  to  Virginia  in 
irons.  In  making  this  march  from  Kaskaskia  to  Vincennes,  Clarke 
and  his  men  had  to  wade  through  icy  swamps,  where  for  miles  the 
water  rose  to  their  waists  and  even  to  their  shoulders.  They  cheer 
fully  endured  the  severest  hardships,  but  nevertheless  moved  with  a 
celerity  and  effectiveness  that  marked  their  achievements  as  among 
the  most  remarkable  in  the  records  of  the  war.  It  has  been  truly 
claimed  that  but  for  this  march  and  conquest  by  Clarke,  the  western 
boundary  of  the  United  States,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  would 
have  been  the  Alleghany  Mountains  instead  of  the  Mississippi  River. 
A  war  party  of  Chickamauga  Indians  marched  against  the  Carolina 
Col.  frontier,  whereupon  Colonel  Evan  Shelby,  with  a  thousand  men  from 
Exploit8  the  Holston  and  Wautauga  settlements,  passed  down  the  Tennessee 
in  boats,  in  April,  1 779,  and  destroyed  the  homes  of  the  savages  and 
nearly  all  their  provisions.  This  blow  and  that  of  Clarke  severed  the 
bond  that  had  existed  between  the  Northern  and  Southern  Indians, 
and  brought  peace  to  the  sorely  harried  region. 


34 


530 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


A 

Glorious 
Theme 


The 

Mistress 
of  the 
Seas 


AMERICAN    PROWESS    ON    THE    SEA 

Any  narrative  of  the  history  of  our  country  would  be  singularly  in 
complete  without  some  record  of  the  prowess  of  American  seamen  at 
successive  eras  in  the  national  annals,  and  an  account  of  the  origin 
and  growth  of  the  now  formidable  United  States  Navy.  We  have  no 
intention  of  slighting  in  these  pages  the  achievements  of  this  important 
branch  of  the  fighting  arm  of  our  country.  The  work  it  has  done 
has  been  such  as  no  patriot  could  fail  to  feel  pride  in,  besides  the 
substantial  advantages  it  has  obtained  for  the  nation  as  an  aggres 
sive  as  well  as  a  defensive  force.  Happily,  the  subject — in  the 
writings  of  Maclay,  Mahan,  and  other  able  and  well-informed  chron 
iclers  of  the  United  States  Navy — is  now  being  treated  adequately, 
and  with  an  appreciation  of  the  service  that  American  seamen  have 
rendered  at  important  eras  in  the  national  history.  Hitherto,  it  has 
been  the  theme  of  the  novelist  rather  than  of  the  historian ;  and  it 
has  been  to  Fenimore  Cooper  that  the  people  have  in  the  main 
turned  for  vivid  and  entertaining  narratives  of  maritime  exploits  on 
the  high  seas  by  the  country's  naval  defenders.  Without  doing  in 
justice  to  maritime  romance,  as  furnished  by  high-spirited  and  patri 
otic  writers  such  as  the  author  of  "  The  Pilot,"  "  The  Red  Rover," 
and  "  The  Two  Admirals,"  it  is  more  fitting  that  what  has  to  be 
said  of  the  contests  at  sea  between  the  United  States  and  her 
enemies  should  be  related  with  the  gravity  as  well  as  with  the  truth 
of  history  rather  than  with  the  picturesque  effects  but  fictional  glow- 
ings  of  romance.  The  story  told  as  history,  however,  will  lack  little 
of  the  fascination  which  novelists  have  thrown  around  the  subject, 
for  the  real  is  often  no  less  thrilling  than  the  unreal — fact  no  less 
marvellous  than  fiction. 

It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that,  at  the  opening  of  the  Revo 
lution,  the  colonies  had  no  thought  of  competing  with  the  large 
and  powerful  navy  of  Great  Britain.  England  was  mistress  of  the 
ocean,  and  a  contest  with  her  on  the  sea  would  have  been  much  like  a 
struggle  between  a  mouse  and  a  lion.  And  yet  this  relative  situation 
was  not  without  its  advantages  to  Americans.  They  had  many  skil 
ful  sailors,  and  it  was  easy  to  build  swift-sailing  vessels,  which,  ven 
turing  stealthily  out  from  the  harbors,  were  never  compelled  to  go  far 
without  descrying  some  of  the  shipping  of  the  enemy.  A  sudden 


CHAP.   XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


dash,  a  daring  attack,  and  the  gallant  deed  was  done.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  multitude  of  British  frigates  and  men-of-war  had  to  grope 
along  the  coasts  or  over  the  waters  in  their  search  for  the  audacious 
privateers,  and  were  liable  to  spend  weeks  in  the  hunt  without  suc 
cess.  The  patriots,  of  course,  were  familiar  with  their  own  inlets 
and  numerous  secure  hiding-places,  to  which  they  could  flee  when 
pursued.  The  prospect  of  securing  valuable  cargoes  and  prize-money 
was  ever  before  the  commanders  ot  American  cruisers,  and,  combined 
with  their  ardent  patriotism,  the  most  powerful  incentive  that  can  be 
imagined  was  theirs  to  impel  them  to  the  utmost  efforts. 

The  news  that  two  British  transports,  containing  arms  and  am 
munition,  had  sailed  from  England  for  Quebec  stirred  the  Conti 
nental  Congress  to  action.  If  the  cargoes  of  those  vessels  could 
be  captured,  it  was  obvious  that  they  would  be  of  immense  value  to 
the  patriot  armies,  which  were  sorely  in  need  of  supplies.  Accord 
ingly,  on  the  1 3th  of  October,  1775,  Congress  authorized  a  committee 
to  fit  out  and  arm  two  swift  vessels  for  the  purpose  of  waylaying  and 
attacking  the  ships  of  the  enemy.  The  date  named,  therefore,  may 
be  accepted  as  marking  the  birth  of  the  American  navy.  It  was  then 
a  weak,  puny  infant ;  but  it  had  life,  and  was  destined,  in  the  fulness 
of  time,  to  become  a  veritable  giant  that  was  to  strike  Titan  blows 
on  all  the  waters  of  the  globe. 

On  the  3oth  of  the  same  month,  Congress  decided  to  fit  out  two 
more  vessels,  strongly  armed.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that,  at  this 
period,  Congress  did  not  believe  that  a  final  separation  from  the 
mother  country  was  inevitable.  This  belief  was  a  restraining  in 
fluence  at  first.  The  land  and  sea  forces  were  ordered  to  refrain,  as 
far  as  possible,  from  open  acts  of  rebellion.  The  result  was  other 
than  was  anticipated,  for  the  enemy  accepted  such  moderation  as 
timidity.  The  town  of  Portland  (then  known  as  Falmouth)  had,  as 
we  have  seen,  been  laid  in  ashes,  and  other  settlements  were  attacked 
with  a  fury  that  added  much  to  the  growing  resentment  against  Eng 
land.  Awaking  to  its  mistake,  Congress,  on  the  2$th  of  November, 
authorized  the  capture  of  any  armed  vessel  used  against  the  colonies, 
or  any  tender  or  transport  employed  in  carrying  munitions  of  war  for 
either  the  British  army  or  the  navy. 

Four  days  later,  the  first  battle  was  fought  in  which  a  regularly 
commissioned  American  war-vessel  was  engaged.  The  action  was 
between  the  Massachusetts  State  cruiser  Lee  and  the  British  armed 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
A.ND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
I7S3 


Birth  of 
the  Am 
erican 
Navy 


Action  of 
Congress 


532  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


transport  Nancy.     The  Lee  had  a  commission  from  General  Washing- 
ton  ^^orizmg  her  to  cruise  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  to  intercept 
AMERICA     supplies  for  the  British.     Several  other  cruisers  were  commissioned 
J758       by  Washington  for  the  same  purpose.     After  a  brisk  fight,  Captain 
1783       John  Manly,  in  command  of  the  Lee,  captured  the  Nancy  which  had 
a  valuable  cargo  of  war  supplies. 

The  slight  successes  so  quickly  obtained  encouraged  Congress  to 

More      take  more  decisive  steps  towards  the  establishment  of  a  navy.     On 

Steps      the   1  3th  of    December,  the  construction  of  five  ships  of  32  guns 

each,  five  of  28  guns,  and  three  of  24  guns,  was  ordered,  with  in 

junctions  that  they  were  to  be  completed  by  the  following  April. 

Other  laws  were  passed  for  the  purchase  and  equipment  of  cruisers. 

A  list  of  officers  was  approved  in  the  same  month,  with  Esek  Hop 

kins  as  commander-in-chief.     Hopkins  left  Philadelphia  in  January, 

1776,  in   command  of  a  squadron  of  eight  cruisers,  of  which  the 
Alfred  was  the  flagship.     He  sailed  up  and  down  the  coast,  looking 
for  the  British  squadron  that  had  inflicted  great  damage  ;  but,  failing 
to  sight  it,  headed  for  the  town  of  New  Providence,  where  he  knew 
that  considerable  military  supplies  were  stored.     These  were  captured 
with  little  trouble,  and  Hopkins  carried  away  a  number  of  leading 
citizens  to  be  held  as  hostages  for  the  good  treatment  of  certain  pris 
oners  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

On  his  return,  late  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  April,  Captain 

Hopkins,  when  off  Long  Island,  became  involved  in  a  fierce  fight 

Naval      with  the  enemy.     After  a  few  minutes,  his  ship,  the  Cabot,  was  dis- 

a    e     abled,  Captain  Hopkins  and  several  of  his  men  being  badly  wounded, 

and  others  were  killed.     The  Alfred,  on  which  John  Paul  Jones  was 

first  lieutenant,  came  up  and  took  a  hand  in  the  fight,  while  another 

American  cruiser  secured  a  position  off  the  stranger's  lee  quarter  and 

opened  an   effective   fire.     Finding   matters   becoming  too  hot,  the 

enemy  made  her  escape,  in  the  darkness.     This  was  the  first  naval 

battle  in  which  the  United  States  took  part. 

The  result  of  Captain  Hopkins'  cruise  was  the  censure  of  Con 
gress  for  having  exceeded  his  instructions  by  going  to  New  Prov 
idence.  Furthermore,  he  had  demonstrated  that  he  was  lacking  in 
courage,  and  his  name  was  dropped  from  the  list  of  officers,  early  in 

1777.  Previous  to  this,  on  the  23d  of  March,  1776,  Congress  issued 
letters  of  marque,  and  all  public  and  private  cruisers  of  the  colonies 
were  authorized  to  capture  any  armed  or  unarmed  vessel  which  flew 


CHAP.  XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


533 


the  British  flag.  This  gave  an  impetus  to  privateering,  and  the 
exploits  of  the  infant  navy  were  of  the  most  daring  and  suc 
cessful  nature.  Paul  Jones  gave  such  proof  of  his  dauntless 
courage  and  consummate  seamanship  that  he  was  made  commander 
of  the  twelve-gun  brig  Providence.  He  became  a  captain  in 
October,  1776,  his  astonishing  exploits  keeping  pace  with  his  ad 
vancement. 

The  importance  of  Lake  Champlain  as  the  only  route  for  inland 
communication  between  Canada  and  the  American  colonies  roused 
both  sides  to  early  attempts  to  secure  control  of  its  waters.  In  the 
autumn  of  1776,  the  American  fleet  included  fifteen  vessels,  with  a 
total  of  eighty-eight  guns,  and  eight  hundred  and  eleven  men,  of 
whom  only  about  seven  hundred  were  on  duty.  The  fleet  was  under 
the  command  of  Benedict  Arnold,  who  declared  that  a  more  unfit  and 
worthless  lot  of  seamen  could  hardly  have  been  brought  together. 
The  British  squadron,  carrying  eighty-nine  guns,  was  manned  by  six 
hundred  and  ninety-seven  officers  and  men,  who  were  the  flower  of 
the  British  navy.  Nevertheless,  Arnold  made  the  best  preparations 
possible  for  the  attack  of  this  vastly  superior  force.  The  British 
employed  a  large  body  of  Indians  to  fire  upon  the  Americans  from 
the  woods  along  the  shore.  When  the  shots  from  these  redskins  be 
came  too  galling,  the  Americans  would  turn  one  of  the  cannon  in 
that  direction  and  send  the  savages  skurrying  among  the  trees.  This 
fight  took  place  on  the  I  ith  of  October  and  was  indecisive;  but  the 
British  commander  determined  to  renew  the  attack  in  the  morning 
with  a  vigor,  it  was  said,  that  would  destroy  every  vessel  of  the 
American  squadron. 

No  one  could  have  shown  greater  bravery  than  Arnold,  and  his 
example  inspired  his  men,  but  he  saw  that  it  would  be  folly  to  con 
tinue  the  battle  on  the  morrow.  He,  therefore,  made  an  attempt  to 
steal  through  the  enemy's  lines  at  night,  with  the  hope  of  reaching 
Crown  Point.  At  daylight  the  squadron  was  nine  miles  distant. 
Two  of  the  gondolas  were  so  shattered  with  shot  that  they  were 
sunk,  while  the  remainder  were  hastily  fitted  up  and  pressed  on  for 
Crown  Point.  The  British  commander  began  the  pursuit  as  soon  as 
the  flight  was  discovered.  Arnold  kept  up  a  running  fire  as  long  as 
possible,  and,  when  all  hope  was  gone,  he  ran  his  vessels  ashore, 
destroyed  them,  and  fled  with  his  men  to  Crown  Point.  The  Amer 
ican  loss  was  eighty  killed  and  wounded,  while  that  of  the  enemy 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


The 
Ameri 
can  Fleet 
on  Lake 
Cham- 
plain 


Defeat 
of  the 
Ameri 
cans 


534 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Darin? 
of  the 

Priva 
teers 


A  Re 
markable 
Escape 


was  about  half  that  number.  The  prisoners  were  almost  imme 
diately  released  on  parole  at  Ticonderoga. 

The  English  authorities  of  the  time  admitted  that  the  damage  to 
the  West  India  trade  alone  amounted,  in  1776,  to  two  million  dol 
lars,  while  more  than  three  hundred  vessels  were  captured  in  that 
year  by  the  American  cruisers. 

It  was  in  the  order  of  things  that  the  American  privateers  which 
had  been  so  successful  in  defending  their  coasts  and  intercepting  the 
supplies  of  the  enemy,  should  be  tempted  into  still  more  daring  ven 
tures.  So  they  spread  sail  and  sped  across  the  Atlantic,  where,  as 
may  be  supposed,  their  arrival  caused  no  little  consternation.  Some 
of  the  exploits  of  these  cruisers  are  almost  incredible.  The  greater 
the  danger  the  greater  the  attraction.  The  Lexington,  in  September, 
engaged  the  Alert,  and  the  battle  raged  for  two  hours ;  but  the  high 
sea  rendered  the  fire  comparatively  ineffective.  Unfortunately,  the 
Americans  were  caught  unprepared  and  several  broadsides  were  dis 
charged  by  firing  muskets  at  the  vent  of  the  cannon.  When  the 
ammunition  was  exhausted,  the  Lexington  withdrew,  but  the  Alert, 
after  some  hasty  repairs,  gave  chase,  and  in  four  hours  overhauled 
her.  For  an  hour  the  American  had  to  lie  in  sullen  silence  and  re 
ceive  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  Then,  as  there  was  no  hope  left,  she 
struck  her  flag.  She  was  taken  to  Plymouth  and  the  officers  and 
crew  were  thrown  into  prison  on  the  charge  of  treason.  They  were 
subjected  to  the  most  brutal  treatment  and  often  were  upon  the  verge 
of  starvation.  In  their  desperation  they  began  tunneling  under  the 
prison,  and  succeeded  in  gaining  their  liberty  one  dark  night  and 
boarded  a  vessel  in  London,  bound  for  Dunkirk.  Sad  to  say,  they 
were  recognized  by  a  press  gang  and  once  more  imprisoned.  Richard 
Dale  had  been  master's  mate  on  the  Lexington.  He  and  his  com 
panions  remained  another  full  year  in  captivity,  and  then  one  day  he 
walked  out  when  the  sun  was  shining.  He  was  in  a  British  uniform 
and  passed  the  guards  without  suspicion  on  their  part,  finally  reaching 
home  in  safety.  He  doubtless  was  helped  by  some  English  friend, 
but  Dale  would  never  reveal  the  name  of  the  good  Samaritan. 

Who  would  suspect,  in  studying  the  accounts  of  the  recent  and 
present  experiments  in  submarine  warfare,  that  the  invention  was 
made  during  the  early  years  of  our  Revolution,  and  by  one  of  our 
own  citizens?  Such,  however,  is  the  fact.  In  1777,  David  Bush- 
nell,  of  Saybrook,  Connecticut,  made  a  submarine  boat,  which  he 


CHAP,  xxxv  EVENTS    OF    1779  535 


called  the  American   Turtle.     From  his  description,  as  given  in  a 
letter  to  Thomas  Jefferson,  it  appears  that  it  was  large  enough  to 
hold  a  man,  who  could  navigate  the  odd  craft  under  water  for  half     AM™ICA 
an  hour  without  coming  to  the  surface.     With  it  the  operator  could       X758 
fasten  a  magazine,  made  of  two  pieces  of  oak  hollowed  out,  and  filled       1783 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds    of  powder,  to    the  hull  of  an 
enemy's  frigate.     Within  this  magazine  was  a  little  machine  which 
would  run  any  desired  length  of  time  under  twelve  hours,  when  it 
unpinned  a  strong  lock  and  ignited  the  powder.     By  that  time,  of       Sub- 
course  the  American   Turtle  would  have  returned  to  shore  and  be       30at 
beyond  the  reach  of  danger. 

Not  only  was  this  curious  invention  constructed,  but  its  merits 
were  put  to  the  proof.  In  August,  1777,  the  British  frigate  Cer 
berus,  while  cruising  through  Long  Island  Sound,  on  the  lookout  for 
Connecticut  poultry  and  beef,  anchored  off  New  London.  About 
eleven  o'clock  at  night,  a  line  was  discovered  trailing  astern,  and,  on 
hauling  it  in,  "  a  machine  too  heavy  for  one  man  to  haul  up  was 
found."  A  boat  was  lowered  and  the  machine  lifted  upon  deck. 
Much  puzzled  to  understand  what  it  was,  the  people  were  examining 
it  closely,  when  it  exploded,  killing  three  men  and  blowing  one  over 
board.  In  his  report  of  the  occurrence,  the  British  officer  wrote 
angrily  of  "  the  mode  these  villains  must  have  taken,"  adding  that 
"  the  ingenuity  of  these  people  is  singular  in  their  secret  modes  of 
mischief." 

Lafayette,  whose  good  service  in  the  American  struggle  will  never  Peril  of 
be  forgotten,  decided  to  visit  his  native  land,  to  aid  our  commission-  ette 
ers  at  the  French  court.  The  3  2  -gun  frigate  Alliance  was  set  apart 
for  that  purpose,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Pierre  Lan- 
dais,  one  of  his  countrymen.  It  was  hard  to  fill  out  her  complement 
of  sailors,  for  seamen  were  then  few,  andt  here  was  a  general  dislike 
to  serving  under  a  foreign  officer.  To  meet  the  difficulty,  Massachu 
setts  offered  liberty  to  a  number  of  English  seamen,  who  had  been 
cast  ashore  from  the  wreck  of  the  Somerset.  The  offer  was  gladly 
accepted,  and  the  Alliance,  which  sailed  from  Boston,  January  I  r, 
1779,  took  with  her  a  motley  crew  of  Englishmen,  a  few  French 
sailors,  and  a  number  of  American  volunteers. 

There  was  misgiving  among  the  friends  of  Lafayette  when  they 
bade  him  good-by,  for  the  English  Parliament  had  during  the  con 
flict  offered  a  liberal  bounty  to  any  of  her  sailors  who  should  bring 


536  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 

PERIOD  in  an  American  vessel  into  port.     This  was  known  to  the  seventy  or 

A^NGLAND^  eighty  English  seamen,  who  speedily  formed  a  plot  for  the  capture  of 

AMERICA     tne  vessel-     They  were  so  much  more  numerous  than  the  others,  that 

X758      they  had  good  reason  to  believe  they  would  succeed.     The  plot  was 

1783       made  known  to  one  of  the  sailors  supposed  to  be  an  Irishman,  because 

he  spoke  with  a  Celtic  brogue.     In  truth,  however,  he  was  an  Amer 

ican,  who  had  been  in  Ireland  long  enough  to  acquire  a  peculiarity  of 

A  Friend  accent.     He  pretended  to  favor  the  scheme,  and  thus   learned  the 

particulars.     An  hour  before  the  time  for  striking  the  blow,  he  re 

vealed  the  plot  to  the  officer  of  the  deck,  naming  also  those  who  would 

remain  faithful  and  stand  by  the  flag.     Prompt  measures  were  taken 

and  the  mutineers  were  overawed  and  they  begged  for  mercy.     About 

half  of  them  were  put  in  irons  and  placed  in  prison  on  the  arrival  at 

Brest,   but   the   kind-hearted    Lafayette    interceded   and  they  were 

afterwards  exchanged. 

Not  always,  however,  was  good  fortune  on  the  side  of  the  Ameri 
cans.  The  English  had  erected  a  naval  station  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Penobscot,  which  became  so  great  an  annoyance  that  Massachusetts 
resolved  to  dislodge  the  enemy,  without  asking  assistance  from  the 
government.  With  this  view,  fifteen  hundred  militia,  under  Gen. 
Solomon  Lovell,  were  embarked  in  thirteen  privateers  and  transports, 
which  were  accompanied  by  the  32-gun  frigate  Warren,  the  14-gun 
brig  Diligent,  now  flying  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  the  12-gun  brig 
Providence,  the  whole  marine  force  being  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Saltonstall,  of  the  Warren. 

McLean's  Station,  as  the  place  was   called,  was  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Penobscot  Bay,  nine  miles  from  the  sea.     It  stood  on  a  pen 
insula,  covered  with  a  dense  forest.     While  McLean  was  clearing  a 
Coward-  way  in  the  wood,  he  learned  of  the  expedition,  and  when  the  Ameri- 
can  vessels  appeared,  on  July  25th,  his  three  sloops  of  war  opened  fire. 


Salton-  Three  days  passed  before  the  patriots  were  able  to  land,  during  which 
McLean  wrought  hard  to  strengthen  his  fortifications.  General  Lovell 
erected  a  battery  about  half  a  mile  from  the  enemy,  and  pounded  away 
for  nearly  two  weeks,  without  doing  more  than  making  a  great  noise. 
Then  he  began  preparations  for  an  assault.  When  everything  was 
ready,  news  reached  Lovell  that  Sir  George  Collier  was  coming  up 
the  bay  with  a  considerable  naval  force.  How  Paul  Jones  would  have 
welcomed  such  a  chance!  but  to  Captain  Saltonstall  the  news  came 
like  the  knell  of  doom.  He  hurriedly  embarked  his  troops  and  can- 


COPYRIGHT  1896. 


THE  BONHOMME  RICHARD  AND  THE  SERAPIS 

FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  PAINTING  BY   WARREN   SHEPPARD 


538 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP.  XXXY 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


A  "  Red 

Letter" 

Year 


Jones' 
Squad 
ron 


non  in  the  night,  hoping  that  he  might  escape,  but  the  enemy  pursued, 
and  many  of  the  ships  were  burned  or  blown  up.  Leaping  ashore,  the 
men  plunged  into  the  trackless  woods,  and  set  out  for  their  homes, 
hundreds  of  miles  away.  Many  died  on  the  road,  and  those  who  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  civilization  were  starving,  exhausted,  and  in  the 
last  stages  of  emaciation. 

The  year  whose  story  we  are  relating,  however,  will  always  be  a 
"red  letter"  one  in  the  history  of  our  country,  for  in  the  early 
autumn  took  place  one  of  the  most  important  sea-fights  in  the  naval 
annals  of  the  world.  Captain  Paul  Jones  had  fought  his  way  to  the 
head  of  the  American  navy,  when,  by  his  express  desire,  he  was 
given  command  of  the  4<D-gun  ship  Dtiras,  whose  name,  in  deference 
to  his  wishes,  was  changed  to  the  Bonhomme  Richard  (bon-mtmf  re- 
skat').  This  was  in  compliment  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin,  between 
whom  and  the  redoubtable  Paul  Jones  there  was  a  warm  friendship. 
The  Bonhomme  Richard was  a  dilapidated  East  India  merchantman, 
which  Jones  patched  and  changed  so  that,  when  all  that  was  possible 
had  been  done,  she  carried  forty-two  guns.  The  Alliance,  which  had 
brought  over  Lafayette,  was  commanded  by  Captain  Landais,  under 
the  orders  of  Captain  Jones.  The  Pallas  of  thirty  guns,  the  mer 
chant  brig  Vengeance,  and  the  1 8-gun  cutter  Cerf  were  added  to  the 
expedition.  The  scarcity  of  seamen  made  it  hard  work  to  man  these 
vessels,  and  when  it  was  completed  the  mongrel  crews  included  seven 
teen  different  nationalities. 

The  squadron  sailed  from  L' Orient  on  June  19,  1/79,  Captain 
Landais  sullen  and  resentful,  because  the  command  was  not  given  to 
him.  The  jangle  of  tongues  and  lack  of  discipline  on  board  the  ships 
caused  a  collision  between  the  Bonhomme  RicJiard  and  the  Alliance, 
which  compelled  a  return  to  port  for  repairs,  from  which  sail  was  not 
again  made  until  August  I4th.  It  was  a  fortunate  accident,  for  while 
the  repairs  were  under  way,  one  hundred  and  nineteen  exchanged 
American  prisoners  arrived  in  a  cartel  ship  at  Nantes.  Nearly  all  of 
them  enlisted  on  board  the  Bonhomme  Richard,  adding  greatly  to  her 
strength  and  discipline.  Among  them  was  Richard  Dale,  master's 
mate  in  the  Lexington,  escaped  from  Mill  Prison  in  the  uniform  of  a 
British  officer.  As  soon  as  he  learned  of  Jones'  enterprise  he  hastened 
to  him  and  offered  his  services.  Jones  made  him  his  first  lieutenant. 

Captain  Landais  showed  so  much  insubordination,  and  acted  so 
strangely,  that  Captain  Jones  became  convinced  that  he  was  not  in 


CHAP.  XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


539 


his  right  mind,  but  he  bore  with  him.  While  several  prizes  were 
taken  a  number  of  disturbing  incidents  occurred.  The  English  coast 
was  in  consternation  and  the  utmost  excitement  prevailed.  Captain 
Jones  had  sent  so  many  of  his  crew  home  in  charge  of  prizes  that  only 
three  hundred  and  twenty  men  were  left.  Doubling  Flamborough 
Head,  the  BonJiomme  RicJiard  ^N2^>  joined  by  the  Pallas  and  the  Alli 
ance.  While  chasing  a  brigantine,  about  noon  on  September  21,  a 
large  sail,  followed  by  others,  rounded  Flamborough  Head  from  the 
south.  Still  others  came  in  sight,  until  in  less  than  half  an  hour  the 
astounded  Americans  found  themselves  in  the  presence  of  a  fleet  of 
forty-two  ships. 

It  was  a  critical  situation,  but  after  studying  them  through  his 
glass,  Jones  discovered  that  there  were  only  two  vessels  of  war  in  the 
fleet.  Accordingly  he  gave  the  signal  to  make  chase.  In  doing  so, 
he  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  own  pilot-boat,  which  was  pursuing  the 
brigantine,  so  that  the  crew  of  the  BonJiomme  numbered  three  hun 
dred  and  four  men  in  all.  The  unarmed  vessels  scattered  like  a  covey 
of  quail,  while  the  large  English  frigate  made  ready  for  battle.  At 
this  critical  stage,  the  American  was  exasperated  by  the  insubordi 
nation  of  Captain  Landais,  who  disregarded  his  signals,  while  Captain 
Cottineau,  of  the  Pallas,  was  almost  as  disobedient,  though  later  he 
altered  his  behavior  and  gallantly  supported  the  dauntless  American. 
The  delay  prevented  an  approach  to  the  enemy  until  near  dusk,  when 
there  was  much  manoeuvring  before  the  BonJiomme  RicJiard  and  her 
enemy  began  edging  toward  each  other.  The  latter  was  the  frigate 
Scrapis  (Sc-rd'pis],  carrying  fifty  guns,  with  a  crew  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Pearson.  When 
within  pistol-shot  in  the  darkness,  a  hail  came  from  the  Scrapis: 
"  What  ship  is  that  ?"  Jones  wished  to  close  before  opening  fire,  and 
to  gain  time  called  back :  "I  do  not  understand  you."  The  hail 
was  repeated  in  a  louder  voice:  "What  ship  is  that?  Answer  or 
I  shall  fire  into  you,"  but  no  reply  was  returned,  and  the  only  sounds 
were  the  rippling  of  water  from  the  bows  of  the  huge  vessels,  and  the 
ominous  preparations  on  board  the  American  for  the  death-grapple. 

A  sheet  of  flame  burst  from  the  sides  of  the  two  frigates  at  the 
same  instant.  Forty  guns  had  been  discharged,  and  round-shot,  grape, 
and  canister  splintered  the  timbers  on  their  errand  of  death  and  de 
struction.  Two  of  the  six  i8-pounders  on  the  lower  deck  of  the  Bon- 
homme  RicJiard  burst,  killing  nearly  all  who  were  working  them  and 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


The 
Fleet  of 

the 
Enemy 


Opening 
of  the 
Battle 


540  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 

PERIOD  in  splintering  the  deck  above.     This  calamity  caused  the  abandonment 
ENGLAND    of  the  American's  heaviest  battery,  since  the  men  refused  to  haridle 

AND  FRANCE  •'  ' 

AMERICA     tne  otner  cannon.     Jones  forged  ahead  and  crossed  the  bow  of  the 

J758       Serapis  to  leeward,  the  latter  filling  away  and  coming  up  on  his  port 

1783       quarter.     Then  the  frigates  worked  nearer  each  other,  until  once  more 

within  pistol-shot.     They  were  wrapped  now  in  a  dense  volume  of 

A         smoke,  which  was  continually  lit  up  by  the  red   flashes  from  the 

Strugg  le   £uns-     Not  only  did  these  flames  spout  from  the  cannon,  but  there 

was  a  continuous  rattle  of  musketry  from  the  rigging  of  both,  and, 

amid  the  appalling  crash  and  roar,  could  be  heard  the  shrieks  of 

the  wounded  and  dying,  and  the  cheers  of  those  that  were  as  yet 

unhurt. 

The  men  fought  as  if  they  were  tigers.  Within  the  first  half- 
hour,  the  Bonhomme  Richard  was  struck  several  times  below  her 
water-line  and  began  leaking  badly.  The  loss  of  the  battery  of  18- 
pounders  compelled  Jones  to  rely  upon  his  smaller  armament  of 
1  2-pounders.  By  and  by  this  battery  of  fourteen  guns  was  silenced, 
and  seven  of  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle  guns  were  dismounted, 
leaving  the  frigate  with  only  two  Q-pounders  on  the  quarter-deck. 
By  hard  work,  a  Q-pounder  was  dragged  over  from  the  starboard  side 
and  the  three  guns  were  loaded  and  fired  under  the  direction  of 
Jones.  The  deck  of  the  Serapis  was  swept  with  murderous  effect, 
and  the  American  guns  were  then  double-shotted  and  pointed  at  the 
mainmast. 

The   battle  had  raged  for  an   hour  when  the  moon  rose.     The 

Serapis  sought  to  work  across  the  course  of  the  Bonhomme  Richard, 

so  as  to  rake  her,  but  she  miscalculated  the  distance,  yawed,  put  her 

helm  a-lee,  and  the  American  overtaking  her  shoved  her  bowsprit  over 

her  stern.     Each  expected  the  other  to  board,  and  in  the  momentary 

"1  ,     lull,  Captain  Pearson  called  :  "Have  you  struck?"      "Struck!  no!" 

Begun  to  shouted  back  Jones,  "  I  haven't  begun  to  fight  !"     The  frigates  swung 

Fight  "    apar^  ancj^  while  the  Serapis  was  striving  again  for  position  to  rake 


her  rival,  her  jib-boom  fouled  with  the  starboard  mizzen  shrouds  of 
the  Bonhomme  Richard.  With  his  own  hands,  Jones  lashed  the 
spar  to  his  rigging,  seeing  that  his  only  chance  was  to  fight  at  close 
quarters,  but  the  lurching  of  the  vessels  broke  the  bowsprit,  and  at 
the  same  moment  the  spare  anchor  of  the  Serapis  caught  on  the 
Bonhomme  Richard's  quarter  and  held.  The  Americans  hurriedly 
passed  a  hawser  over  the  stump  of  the  enemy's  bowsprit  and  around 


CHAP.  XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


541 


their  own  mizzenmast.  Thus  the  frigates  were  interlocked  as  may  PERIOD  in 
be  said,  in  each  other's  arms,  and  fought  more  fiercely  than  ever.  J^^E 
Fearful  that  the  Americans  would  board  through  the  lower  ports  on 
the  engaged  side  of  the  Serapis,  they  were  closed.  Since  the  lids 
swung  outward,  they  could  not  be  opened,  so  the  enemy  fired  through 
them,  blowing  away  the  lids.  So  close  indeed  were  the  frigates 


1758 

TO 

1783 


WHAT  WON  THE  BATTLE 


that  the  gunners  of  each,  in  loading,  had  to  push  one  end  of  the  ram- 
mers  into  the  ports  of  the  other  vessel.  The  blazing  wads  set  the 
Bonhomme  Richard  on  fire  in  several  places,  but  the  flames  were  put 
out  before  making  much  headway.  The  enemy  prepared  to  board, 
but,  finding  the  Americans  drawn  up  and  awaiting  them,  abandoned 
the  attempt. 

It   looked  now  as   if  the  Bonhomme  Richard  was  helpless.      Her 


Desper- 
of 


, 
Richard 


542 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  kxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


What 

Won  the 

Battle 


Treach 
ery  of 
Captain 
Landais 


lower  battery  of  i8-pounders  was  destroyed  by  the  first  broadside, 
while  the  fire  of  the  English  gunners  was  incessant  from  the  op 
posite  battery.  They  smashed  the  six  ports  into  one  huge  gap, 
through  which  the  crimsoned  waves  continually  washed,  some  of  the 
shot  tearing  entirely  through  the  Bonhomme  Richard  and  dropping 
into  the  sea  beyond.  As  the  only  thing  that  could  be'  done  to  check 
this,  all  the  Americans  were  distributed  on  the  upper  decks  and  in 
the  rigging,  where  their  markmanship  drove  every  officer  and  sailor 
out  of  sight,  while  the  Q-pounders  and  two  12-pounders  that  had 
been  brought  into  action  again  silenced  in  time  the  upper  batteries 
of  the  Serapis. 

At  this  fearful  crisis  in  the  fight,  one  of  the  American  seamen  did 
a  thing  which  really  decided  the  battle.  He  had  crept  out  on  the 
main  yard  of  \heBonhomme  Richard  with,  a  bucket  of  hand-grenades, 
which  he  began  throwing  on  the  decks  of  the  enemy,  wherever  he 
saw  any  men.  As  the  sailors  withdrew  below  decks,  he  flung  the 
grenades  into  the  hatches.  At  last,  taking  careful  aim,  he  hurled 
one  through  the  main  hatchway  into  the  gun-room  oelow.  It  fell 
upon  a  pile  of  ammunition,  which  instantly  exploded,  killing  or 
wounding  thirty-eight,  twenty  of  whom  were  blown  to  fragments. 
Just  then  the  Alliance  came  up,  and  Captain  Jones  felt  that  his  vic 
tory  was  won;  but,  to  his  dismay,  the  Alliance  deliberately  fired  a 
broadside  into  the  stern  of  the  Bonhomme  Richard.  Captain  Jones 
shouted  to  him  for  God's  sake  to  stop,  but  Captain  Landais  fired 
again.  Signals  were  displayed  to  apprise  him  of  his  horrible  mis 
take,  but  he  circled  round  the  Bonhomme  Richard,  firing  repeatedly, 
killing  and  wounding  several  of  the  Americans,  and  sending  in  a 
number  of  shots  below  the  water  line.  The  attack  was  so  vicious 
that  it  was  believed  the  Alliance  had  been  captured  by  the  enemy 
and  had  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  Serapis.  Finally,  however, 
she  stood  away,  and  Jones  kept  his  shattered  flag  still  flying. 

But  the  Bonhomme  Richard  was  by  this  time  sinking,  and  fire  had 
broken  out  again.  Between  one  and  two  hundred  prisoners  were  set 
free.  All  was  in  inextricable  confusion.  The  released  men  ran 
hither  and  thither,  and  the  expectation  was  that  the  frigate  would 'be 
blown  up,  for  the  fire  was  close  to  the  magazine.  Lieutenant  Dale 
ran  to  the  quarter-deck  to  haul  down  the  colors,  but  they  had  been 
shot  away,  whereupon  the  gunner  dashed  to  the  taffrail  and  shouted 
for  quarter. 


CHAP,  xxxv 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


543 


With  his  ship  settling  in  the  water  and  certain  soon  to  sink,  with 
the  fire  fast  eating  its  way  to  the  magazine,  with  more  than  a  him- 
dred  prisoners  skulking  about  the  decks,  waiting  for  a  chance  to 
strike  from  behind,  with  the  dead  and  wounded  everywhere,  and  all 
his  officers  urging  a  surrender,  who  would  have  held  out  with  the  belief 
that  a  grain  of  hope  remained  ?  No  man  except  John  Paul  Jones. 

To  the  hail  from  the  Serapis  asking  whether  he  had  surrendered, 
Jones  thundered  back,  "  No  !".  Then  the  hero  shouted  to  his  pris 
oners  that  the  Serapis  was  sinking  and  their  only  hope  was  to  keep 
the  Bonhomme  Richard  afloat.  The  panicstricken  Englishmen  flew 
to  the  pumps  and  toiled  with  might  and  main.  Thus  they  helped  to 
float  the  frigate,  to  check  the  fast-spreading  fire,  and  had  no  oppor- 
tunity  to  strike  a  blow  against  their  captors.  Then  Captain  Jones 
drew  his  pistol  and  declared  he  would  shoot  the  first  man  who  refused 
to  obey  his  order  to  work  the  guns.  All  knew  him  and  obeyed. 

Captain  Pearson  was  amazed  at  the  action  of  the  American,  whose 
fire  increased;  and  the  shots  were  of  deadly  effectiveness.  His  own 
vessel  was  on  fire,  and,  finding  himself  helpless,  Pearson  himself  at 
half-past  ten  hauled  down  his  flag.  Within  the  following  five  min 
utes  his  mainmast  fell  over  the  side,  dragging  the  mizzen-topmast 
with  it.  Captain  Jones  stopped  firing,  and  Lieutenant  Dale,  by 
order  of  the  American  commander,  sprang  aboard,  followed  by  sever 
al  others,  and  took  possession.  It  required  the  joint  efforts  of  both 
crews  to  keep  the  Bonhomme  Ricliard  afloat  through  the  night,  while 
the  wounded  and  prisoners  were  transferred  to  the  Serapis.  On  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  the  BonJiomme  Richard  plunged  downward, 
bow  foremost,  and  passed  out  of  sight  forever.  The  remaining  ships 
of  the  squadron  repaired  their  damages  and  arrived  at  Texel  on  the 
3d  of  October. 

Maclay  in  his  "  History  of  the  United  States  Navy,"  upon  whose 
spirited  account  of  the  engagement  we  have  drawn,  gives  the  follow 
ing  summary  of  this  most  remarkable  fight  : 


PERIODIII 


Bonhomme  Richard 
Serapis 


Killed.  Wounded.     Total. 
49  67  116 

49  68  117 


COMPARATIVE  FORCE  AND  Loss. 

Guns.         Lbs.          Crew. 
.............   42         557         304 

50         600         320 
Time  of  battle:  3  hours,  30  minutes. 

The  other  British  frigate,  the  Countess  of  Scarborough,  made  a  gal 
lant  defence,  but  was  compelled  to  strike  her  flag  to  the  Pallas, 
under  Captain  Cottineau,  after  an  action  lasting  about  two  hours. 


AM™ICA 


1783 


Jones' 


Sur- 
en^  o 
Serapis 


544 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


A 

Merited 
Compli 
ment 


The 

Career  of 
Jones 


The  conduct  of  Captain  Landais  caused  intense  indignation  both 
in  France  and  America,  but,  afraid  of  offending  the  French  govern 
ment,  whose  aid  we  so  much  needed,  our  commissioners  refrained 
from  pressing  the  charges  against  him.  However,  he  was  dismissed 
from  the  French  navy  and  ordered  to  quit  the  country.  Congress 
also  dismissed  him  from  the  American  service,  while  the  general 
belief  in  his  insanity  prevented  harsher  measures.  Almost  equal 
credit  for  skill  and  bravery  must  be  given  to  Captain  Pearson,  com 
mander  of  the  Serapis.  Naturally  he  was  depressed  when  he  handed 
his  sword  to  Jones  and  made  an  ill-natured  remark,  but  Jones  com 
plimented  him  on  the  gallant  defence  he  had  made,  and  said  that  he 
was  sure  his  sovereign  would  reward  him.  So  it  proved,  for  the 
king  knighted  him.  When  this  was  told  to  Jones,  he  smiled  and 
remarked:  "He  deserves  it;  if  I  fall  in  with  him  again,  I'll  make 
a  lord  of  him !" 

Since  this  was  the  last  important  service  rendered  by  Paul  Jones 
to  the  United  States,  the  reader  will  doubtless  be  glad  to  learn  some 
thing  more  about  him.  He  was  born  of  humble  parents  and  named 
John  Paul,  in  Kirkcudbrightshire,  Scotland,  in  1747.  He  went  to 
sea  at  the  age  of  twelve,  but  when  twenty-five  years  old  he  inherited 
a  valuable  estate  from  his  brother  in  Virginia.  He  took  possession 
of  it,  and,  for  some  unknown  reason,  added  the  name  of  "  Jones"  to 
that  of  John  Paul.  He  lived  quietly  on  his  property  for  two  years, 
when  war  was  declared  with  England.  He  promptly  offered  his  ser 
vices  to  the  Continental  government,  and,  as  we  have  learned,  served 
with  great  distinction  from  the  first,  and  without  even  pay  or  allow 
ance.  England  officially  declared  him  a  "  traitor,  pirate,  and  felon," 
and  put  a  price  of  ten  thousand  guineas  on  his  head;  but  he  was  no 
more  of  a  traitor,  pirate,  or  felon  than  was  George  Washington,  "  Mad 
Anthony"  Wayne,  or  Thomas  Jefferson,  for,  like  Jones,  all  of  these 
were  born  British  subjects.  It  is  strange  that,  even  in  later  years, 
Jones  has  been  referred  to  as  a  privateer,  a  sea  rover,  and  a  bold 
marauder,  which  is  equivalent  to  calling  him  a  pirate.  Let  it  be 
remembered  that  all  this  applies  to  a  man  who  headed  the  list  of 
first  lieutenants  appointed  in  the  navy  of  the  colonies,  on  December 
22,  1775  ;  who  held  the  first  captain's  commission  granted  under  the 
United  States,  August  8,  1776;  who  received  the  thanks  of  Congress 
in  1781  ;  who  was  unanimously  elected  by  Congress  to  be  the  first 
officer  of  the  American  navy  in  1781,  and  who  received  a  gold  medal 


CHAP,  xxxv 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


545 


PAUL  JONES 

fayette.     Who  will  dispute  the  belief  that  Jones  was  an  unswerving 
patriot  and  one  of  the  most  daring  of  men  ? 

In  1788,  Jones  was  made  a  rear-admiral  in  the  Russian  navy  and 
fought  against  the  Turks,  receiving  from  the  Empress  Catherine  the 
Order  of  St.  Anne.  He  died  in  Paris  in  1792.  Now,  one  of  the 
most  interesting  experiences  that  one  can  have  is  to  see  a  great 
person  just  as  he  is.  It  is  not  every  famous  man  who  can  stand  a 
close  scrutiny.  It  has  been  said  that  Washington  was  almost  the 
only  one  whose  private  life,  the  closer  it  is  studied,  makes  the 

35 


from  the  same  body,  similar  to  that  presented   to  Washington  ;  who  PERIOD  in 

was  presented  with  a  gold  sword  by  Louis  XVI.,  of  France,  and  also 

with  the  Grand  Cross  of  the  Order  of  Military  Merit,  never  before 

given  to  a  foreigner.     Greater  than  all  these  was  the  loving  esteem 

in  which  he  was  held  by  Washington,  Franklin,  Jefferson,  and  La-       J78 


AM™ICA 


546 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxv 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
UNO  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


True 
Heroes 


A 

Charac 
teristic 
Letter 


greater  demands  upon  our  admiration  and  love.  Others  have  weak 
nesses,  some  of  them  so  glaring  as  to  be  the  cause  of  pain  to  their 
admirers;  but  where  these  failings  are  slight  and  harmless,  they 
serve  to  draw  rather  than  to  repel  us.  We  do  not  esteem  Washing 
ton  the  less  because  he  sometimes  misspelled  his  words  when  writing 
letters,  and  we  rather  like  him  the  more  when  we  learn  that  at  the 
battle  of  Monmouth,  upon  the  discovery  of  the  treachery  of  Lee,  he 
flew  into  a  towering  rage  and  denounced  him  in  such  terrible  words 
that  even  Lafayette  was  awed. 

Our  government  owns  many  manuscripts  so  precious  that  no  sum 
in  the  world  would  buy  them.  Among  them  are  a  number  of  letters 
written  by  Paul  Jones,  which  were  mostly  collected  and  preserved 
through  the  efforts  of  President  Jefferson,  who  was  a  life-long  corre 
spondent  of  Jones.  One  of  these  letters  is  here  appended,  just  as 
it  was  written  by  Jones.  It  is  addressed  to  Mr.  Hewes,  member  of 
Congress  from  South  Carolina,  to  whom  the  writer  was  indebted  for 
his  commission,  and  is  an  account  of  the  cruise  of  Commodore  Hop 
kins'  squadron,  in  which,  as  will  be  remembered,  Jones  served  as 
first-lieutenant  on  the  flagship  Alfred: 

APRIL  4th,  1776. 

Agreeable  to  your  kind  request,  I  have  taken  up  my  pen  to  give  you  the  particulars 
of  our  Cruise  from  the  Capes  of  Delaware.  On  the  1 7th  of  Feb'y  the  Fleet  put  to  Sea, 
with  a  Smart  North  East  wind.  In  the  night  of  the  nineteenth  (the  Gale  having  in 
creased)  we  lost  Company  with  the  Hornet  and  Fly  tender.  We  Continued  Steering  to 
the  Southward  without  seeing  a  Single  Sail  or  meeting  with  anything  remarkable  till  the 
first  of  March  when  we  Anchored  at  Abaco  (one  of  the  Bahamia  Islands)  having  pre 
viously  brought  too  a  Couple  of  New  Providence  Sloops  to  take  Pilots  out  of  them — by 
these  People  we  were  informed  that  there  was  a  large  Quantity  of  Powder  with  a  number 
of  Cannon  in  the  two  Forts  of  New  Providence.  In  Consequence  of  this  Intelligence 
the  Marines  and  Landsmen  to  the  number  of  300  and  Upwards  under  the  Command  of 
Captn  Nicholas  Embarked  in  two  Sloops.  It  was  determined  that  they  should  keep  be 
low  Deck  'till  the  Sloops  were  got  in  Close  to  the  Fort  and  they  were  then  to  land  in 
stantly  and  take  possession  before  the  Island  could  be  alarmed — this  however  was  ren 
dered  abortive  as  the  Forts  Fired  an  alarm  on  the  approach  of  our  fleet.  We  then  ran 
in  and  anchored  at  a  small  Key,  3  Leagues  to  Windward  of  the  Town  and  from  thence 
the  Comodore  dispatched  the  marines  with  the  sloop  Providence  and  Schooner  Wasp  to 
cover  the  Landing,  they  landed  without  oposition  and  soon  took  possession  of  the 
Eastern  Garrison,  F.  Montigne,  which  (after  Firing  a  few  shot)  the  Islanders  had  aban 
doned.  The  Next  morning,  the  Marines  marched  from  the  Town  and  were  met  by  a 
messenger  from  the  Govr.  who  told  Captn  Nicholas  that  "  The  Western  Garrison  (F. 
Nassau)  was  ready  for  his  reception  and  he  might  march  his  Force  in  as  soon  as  he 
pleased."  This  was  effected  without  firing  a  Gun  on  our  side — but  the  Govr  has  send  of 
150  barrels  of  Powder  the  Night  before.  Inclosed  you  have  an  Inventory  of  the  Cannon 
stores,  &c.,  which  we  took  Possession  of  and  brought  off  in  the  Fleet  we  continued  at  N. 
Providence  till  the  I7th  ulta  and  then  bro't  off  the  Govr  and  two  more  Gentn  Prisoners — 
our  Cruise  was  now  directed  back  for  the  Continents,  and  after  meeting  with  much  bad 


CHAP.   XXXV 


EVENTS    OF    1779 


547 


weather,  on  the  5th  Inst  off  Block  Island  we  took  one  of  Captain  Wallace's  tenders  the 
Hawke  schooner  of  6  guns  the  next  morning  we  fell  in  with  the  Glasgow  man  of  war  and 
a  Hot  Engagement  Ensued  the  particulars  of  which  I  cannot  communicate  better  than  by 
extracting  the  minutes  which  I  entered  in  the  Alfred's  Logbook,  as  follows. 

At  2  A.M.  Cleared  the  Slop  for  action  at  •£  past  do  the  Cabot  being  between  us  and 
the  Enemy  began  to  Engage  and  soon  after  we  did  the  same — at  the  third  Glass  the 
Enemy  bore  away  and  by  crouding  sail  at  length  got  a  considerable  way  ahead  made 
signals  for  the  of  ye  English  Fleet  at  Rhoad  Island  to  come  to  her  Assistance  and  steered 
directly  for  the  Harbour.  The  Comodore  then  thought  in  Imprudent  to  Resign  our 
Prizes  &c.  by  Pursuing  further,  therefore  to  Prevent  our  being  decoyed  into  their  hands, 
at  ±  past  six  made  the  signal  to  leave  off  Chase  and  hauled  by  the  wind  to  join  our 
Prizes.  The  Cabott  was  disabled  at  the  2nd  broadside — the  Capt.  being  dangerously 
Wounded; -the  Master  and  several  men  killed — the  Enemy's  whole  Fire  was  then  di 
rected  at  us,  and  an  unlucky  shot  haveing  carried  away  our  Wheel  Block  and  Ropes  the 
Ship  broached  too  and  gave  the  enemy  an  opportunity  of  Rakeing  us  with  serving  Broad 
sides  before  we  were  taken  in  Condition  to  steer  the  Ship  and  Return  the  Fire.  In  the 
Action  we  Received  several  shot  under  the  Water  which  made  the  ship  Verry  Leaky — we 
had  besides  the  Main  mast  shot  thro'  and  the  upper  works  and  Rigging  very  considerably 
damaged — Yett  it  is  surprising  that  we  only  lost  the  2nd  lieutenant  of  Marines  and  4  men 
of  whom,  a  Midshipman  prisoner  Martin  Gellingwater  who  was  in  the  Cockpit  and  had 
been  taken  in  the  Bomb  Brig  Bolton  yesterday — we  had  no  more  than  three  men  danger 
ously  and  4  slightly  wounded. 

The  following  paragraph  in  brackets  is  marked  out,  but  perfectly  legible: 

[It  is  your  province  to  make  the  Natural  Comments  arising  from  the  subject  I  wish 
to  avoid  Cencuring  Individuals — the  utmost  delicacy  is  necessary  and  highly  becoming  in 
my  situation — I  therefore  Content  myself  with  relating  Facts  only,  and  leave  wiser  heads 
the  privilege  of  determining  their  propriety.] 

I  have  the  pleasure  of  assuring  you  that  the  Commr  in  Chief  is  respected  thro  the 
Fleet  and  I  verily  believe  that  the  officer^  and  men  in  general  would  go  any  length  to 
execute  his  Orders.  It  is  with  pain  that  I  confine  this  plaudit  too  an  individual — I 
should  be  happy  in  extending  it  to  every  Captain  and  officef  in  the  Service — praise  is 
certainly  due  to  some — but  alas!  there  are  Exceptions.  It  is  certainly  for  the  Interest  of 
the  Service  that  a  Cordial  Interchange  of  Civilities  should  subsist  beween  Superiour  and 
Inferiour  Officers — and  therefore  it  is  bad  policy  in  Superiours  to  behave  toward  their 
inferiours  indiscriminately  as  tho'  they  were  of  a  lower  Species.  Such  a  Conduct  will 
damp  the  spirits  of  any  man.  Would  to  heaven  it  were  otherwise  but  in  sad  truth  this  is 
a  Conduct  too  much  in  Fashion  in  our  Infant  Fleet — the  ill  Consequences  of  this  are  ob 
vious — men  of  liberal  minds,  who  have  been  long  accustomed  to  command  can  111  brook 
being  thus  set  at  naught  by  others  who  pretend  to  claim  a  monopoly  of  sense,  the  rude 
ungentle  treatment  they  experience,  creates  such  heart  burnings  as  are  no  wise  consonant 
with  that  chearful  ardour  and  spirit  which  ought  ever  to  be  the  Characteristic  of  an 
Officer — and  therefore  when  he  adopts  such  a  line  of  conduct  in  order  to  prove  it — for  to 
to  be  well  obeyed,  it  is  necessary  to  be  esteemed— whoever  thinks  himself  hearty  in  the 
service  is  widely  mistaken. 

The  Fleet  having  been  reinforced  with  200  men  lent  from  the  Army  is  now  in  condi 
tion  for  another  Enterprize  and  we  expect  to  embrace  the  first  wind  for  Rhode  Island 
when  I  hope  we  shall  meet  with  better  success  as  we  understand  that  the  Scarborough  is 
now  there,  it  is  Proposed  to  clean  the  ships  at  Rhode  Island  or  Providence  that  our  de 
tention  there  will  admit  of  a  return  of  letters  from  Philadelphia  meantime  with  a  grateful 
sense  of  Past  favours  I  have  the  honour  to  be  with  Much  Esteem 

Sir  Your  very  obliged 

Most  humble  servant 

J.  P.  JONES. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 

AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


A  Severe 
Winter 


CHAPTER    XXXVI 
EVENTS   OF  1780  (CAMPAIGN  IN   THE   SOUTH) 

[Authorities-  In  spite  of  French  aid  to  the  Continental  cause,  the  British,  having 
command  of  the  sea,  continued,  during  the  year  1780,  to  keep  Washington's  anxieties  on 
the  strain  as  to  the  objective  points  of  royalist  attack.  At  one  time,  there  would  occur  a 
feint  in  the  direction  of  Newport,  at  another  a  descent  would  be  made  on  Georgia  and  the 
Carolinas  ;  while  from  the  British  base  at  New  York,  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson  were 
constantly  the  objects  of  menacing  movements.  The  brunt  of  the  year's  fighting,  how 
ever,  fell  upon  the  South,  Sir  Henry  Clinton  capturing  Charleston,  while  Gates'  com 
mand  had  to  yield  to  Lord  Rawdon  at  Camden,  and  to  Lord  Cornwallis  at  Clermont. 
The  situation  for  a  time  brightened  with  the  victory  at  King's  Mountain,  only  to  fall  into 
temporary  gloom  again  over  Arnold's  miserable  betrayal  of  his  trust.  That  at  the  hour 
of  the  nation's  dire  extremity  treason  should  enter  the  breast  of  Benedict  Arnold  is,  con 
sidering  his  services  to  his  country,  one  of  those  strange  fatalities  difficult  to  account  for 
in  the  careers  of  some  men.  Disappointments  and  the  irritation  of  slights  had,  it  would 
seem,  long  preyed  upon  an  envious  and  uneasy  mind,  and  led  its  victim  to  resort  to  clan 
destine  correspondence  with  the  enemy,  with  the  result  of  covering  Arnold's  name  with 
eternal  infamy.  The  authorities  for  the  Arnold  episode  are  Sparks'  Memoir  (Library 
of  American  Biography) ,  and  the  Life,  by  I.  N.  Arnold  ;  also  Winthrop  Sargent's  "  Life 
and  Career  of  Major  John  Andre,"  and  Lossing's  "  Two  Spies — Hale  and  Andre."] 

I  HE  winter  of  1779-80  was  one  of  the  most  terrible 
in  the  history  of  our  country.  In  the  North  the 
snow  lay  for  months  to  the  depth  of  several  feet ; 
men  were  frozen  to  death  on  the  highway,  and 
hundreds  of  wild,  and  very  many  domestic,  animals 
perished.  All  the  ordinary  channels  of  trade 
were  closed  and  military  operations  suspended. 
The  Continental  troops  at  Morristown  suffered  not  only  from  the 
Arctic  cold,  but  even  from  lack  of  food.  Washington  was  forced  to 
make  levies  on  the  people,  but  he  did  it  carefully,  seeking  the  aid  of 
the  civil  magistrates,  and  giving  certificates  to  those  from  whom  sup- 


CHAP.  XXXVI 


EVENTS    OF    1780 


549 


plies  were  taken.  The  farmers  showed  more  willingness  to  befriend 
the  army  than  those  at  Valley  Forge,  and  the  hardships  of  the 
patriots,  as  a  consequence,  were  less  severe  than  during  the  year 
previous. 

Sir  Henry  Clinton  was  determined  to  capture  Charleston.  Tow 
ards  the  close  of  the  year  1779,  he  embarked  from  New  York  with 
seventy-five  hundred  men,  leaving  Knyphausen  in  command  of  the 
city  with  a  small  force,  for  Washington  had  sent  so  many  of  his 
troops  south  that  he  could  give  the  enemy  little  trouble.  Several 
raids  were  made  by  both  opposing  parties.  Lord  Stirling  burned  a 
number  of  houses  and  vessels  on  Staten  Island,  while  the  British  de- 


MARION   IN  AMBUSH 


stroyed  the  Presbyterian  church  and  court-house  at  Elizabethtown. 
These  forays  could  have  no  effect  on  the  general  struggle,  but  served 
to  intensify  the  resentment  of  each  side. 

The  British  expedition  southward  encountered  such  tempestuous 
weather  that  it  did  not  reach  Charleston  until  the  close  of  January. 
On  the  route  thither,  the  American  cruisers  captured  several  trans 
ports  and  supply  vessels,  while  so  many  of  the  horses  died  that  Clin 
ton  did  not  land  on  St.  John's  Island,  thirty  miles  south  of  Charles 
ton,  until  the  nth  of  February.  He  then  advanced  to  St.  James' 
Island,  and  a  part  of  his  fleet  returned  to  blockade  Charleston. 
General  Lincoln  had  a  garrison  of  three  thousand  troops,  with  which 
he  was  confident  of  holding  the  city  against  any  approach  from  the 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 

1783 


The 
British 
Expedi 
tion 
against 
Charles 
ton 


550 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvr 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Siege    of 
the  City 


land  side.  Commodore  Whipple  had  nine  small  vessels  in  the  harbor, 
which,  with  the  strong  guns  of  Fort  Moultrie,  he  was  certain  could 
prevent  the  British  fleet  from  crossing  the  bar. 

The  fleet  entered  the  harbor  April  Qth,  without  resistance  from 
the  fort,  while  the  troops  had  appeared  before  the  American  earth 
works  on  the  29th  of  March.  A  demand  for  the  surrender  of  the  city 
was  made  April  loth,  and  being  refused,  the  siege  began.  The 
situation  became  so  critical  that  a  council  was  held  on  the  1 3th,  to 
consider  the  propriety  of  evacuating  the  town.  Before  a  decision 
was  reached,  -evacuation  became  impossible.  The  cavalry  sent  out 
to  keep  open  the  communication  with  the  country  were  scattered, 


MAP  OF  THE  CAROLINAS 

and   Cornwallis  arrived  from   New  York  with  about  three  thousand 
fresh  troops.      Fort  Moultrie  was  obliged  to  surrender  May  6th,  but 

S.ur-   ,  another  summons  to  the  city  was  refused  three  days  later.     A  can- 
render  of 
Charles-  nonade  was  opened,  and,  on  the  I2th,  all  hope  being  gone,  Lincoln 

ton  surrendered.  The  disaster  was  a  crushing  one.  Clinton  gained  five 
thousand  men  as  prisoners  of  war.  North  Carolina  lost  all  her  regu 
lar  soldiers  and  was  defenceless.  Indeed,  the  whole  South  was  vir 
tually  conquered.  "Clinton  stationed  a  strong  force  at  Ninety-six,  a 
second  at  Camden,  and  a  third  at  Augusta.  Then  he  issued  a  proc 
lamation  offering  pardon  to  all  who  would  swear  allegiance  to  the 
English  government.  Many  accepted  the  offer,  but  still  more  re 
mained  true  to  the  cause  of  freedom. 


CHAP.  XXXVI 


EVENTS    OF    1780 


551 


About  the  only  ones  left  to  do  battle  for  their  country  were  the  PERIOD  in 
partisan  rangers,  under  General  Marion  the  "  Swamp  Fox,"  Colonel 
Sumter,  Pickens,  and  other  daring  leaders.  All  fought  like  heroes 
against  the  Tories  and  the  invaders  and  did  patriotic  service ;  but 
like  the  raids  elsewhere,  they  had  little  effect  upon  the  war  itself. 
General  Gates,  the  conqueror  of  Burgoyne,  was  sent  South  to  assume 
command  of  that  department.  He  selected  a  position,  with  such 
forces  as  he  could  collect,  at  Clermont,  S.  C.,  while  Lords  Rawdon 
and  Cornwallis  were  at  Camden.  By  a  singular  coincidence  each 
force  formed  the  same  plan  for  a  night  attack  upon  the  other,  and  on 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

x     IN 
AMERICA 

1753 

TO 
1/33 


Battle  at 
Camden 


ANDRE'S  DISAPPOINTMENT 

the  1 6th  of  August  they  met  at  Sander's  Creek.  The  Americans 
fought  well  for  a  time,  but  the  militia  were  wholly  untrained,  and 
the  veterans  too  few  to  hold  their  ground.  A  decisive  defeat  was 
the  result. 

In  this  disastrous  affair  the  brave  De  Kalb  fell,  pierced  with 
eleven  wounds.  His  comrades  fought  desperately  over  his  body,  but 
could  not  withstand  the  overwhelming  forces  hurled  against  them. 
The  patriots  were  so  scattered  and  disorganized  that  they  could  not 
be  rallied,  and  for  the  time  being  all  organized  resistance  in  the 
South  to  British  rule  ended.  Gates  made  his  way  to  Charlotte, 


552,  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvi 

PERIOD  in  N.  C.,  where  he  was  superseded  by  Gen.  Nathaniel  Greene,  one  of 
ENGLAND     the  best  officers  in  the  American  service.     He  did  all  that  was  pos- 

AND  FRANCE  " 

AMERICA     slDle  with  the  scant  material  within  reach,  but  for  a  while  could 
X758       accomplish  little. 

1783  The  governor  of  North  Carolina  appealed  to  the  backwoodsmen  of 

East  Tennessee  to  help  the  Old  North  State.     They  responded  gal 

lantly,  and  nine  hundred  men,  as  brave 
as  ever  sat  in  the  saddle,  rode  out  to  meet 
Colonel  Ferguson.  On  the  top  of  King  's 
Mountain,  October  7th,  was  fought  one  of 
the  most  famous  battles  of  the  war.  Fer 
guson  was  a  fine  soldier,  and  had  the  larger 
force  and  the  stronger  position.  He 
fought  bravely  and  with  much  skill,  but  the 
mountaineers  with  their  unerring  rifles 
forced  him  back,  and  finally  the  leader  was 
killed.  Still  the  riflemen  pressed  on,  until 
the  enemy,  after  three  hundred  had  been 
killed,  laid  down  their  arms.  The  victory 

was  an  inspiriting  one.      Jefferson  called    it    "  the    joyful    turning 
Patriot    of  the  tide,"  and  Bancroft,  the  historian,  observes  that  "the  victory 
King's   Mountain,  which  in  the  spirit  of  the  American   soldiers 


Moun-    was  iike  tne  rising  at  Concord  in  its  effect,  like  the  success  at  Ben- 
tain 

nington,  changed  the  aspects  of  the  war." 

It  will  be  observed  that  military  events  steadily  drifted  southward. 
Little  was  done  in  the  North,  though  the  year  will  always  be  mem 
orable  because  of  the  most  hideous  occurrence  of  the  war.  Benedict 
Arnold  was  among  the  bravest  of  those  who  drew  sword  in  defence 
of  their  country.  At  Quebec  and  at  Saratoga  he  had  fought  with 
the  heroism  of  a  lion  and  won  praise  from  all.  He  was  wounded 
more  than  once,  and  at  his  own  request  was  left  in  command  at  Phil 
adelphia,  after  its  evacuation  by  Clinton,  so  as  to  give  his  wounds 
time  to  heal. 

Benedict  Arnold  was  proud,  overbearing,  and  insolent.  He  married  a  Tory 
as  a  lady,  and  the  couple  lived  far  beyond  their  means.  He  was  so  de- 

Patriot  teste(j  jn  Philadelphia  because  of  his  oppressive  acts,  that  he  was 
once  mobbed  on  the  streets.  Charges  were  repeatedly  preferred 
against  him,  and  he  was  sentenced  to  be  reprimanded  by  the  com- 
mander-in-chief.  Washington  did  his  duty  with  much  delicacy,  for 


CAPTURE  OF  ANDRE 


COPYRIGHT   1896. 


FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  DRAWING  BY  J.   STEEPLE    DAVIS 


554  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvi 

PERIOD  in  he   respected   the  bravery  of  the  man,  who  had  not  received  at  all 
ANDFRjScE  tmies   fr°m   Congress   the   consideration  to  which   he  was  entitled. 
AMERICA     Arnold  was  angered,  and  to  appease  his  wounded  feelings  he  delib- 
X758       erately  resolved  to  betray  his  country      At  his  own  request  he  was 
1783       given  command  of  the  post  at  West  Point,  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  country.      Previous  to  this,  he  had  been  holding  a  secret  cor- 
Arnold's  respondence  with   Sir  Henry  Clinton,  and  matters  had  gone  so  far 
Betrayal  that  it  was  necessary  for  a  third  party  to  meet  Arnold  and  arrange 
the  details  of  the  betrayal.      Clinton  sent  his  favorite  officer,  Major 
Andre,  up   the   Hudson,  on  the  sloop-of-war   Vulture,  warning  him 
not  to  go  ashore  under  any  circumstances.     Since  the  utmost  caution 
was  necessary  on  the  part  of  all,  and  especially  on  that  of  Arnold,  he 
waited  in  the  woods  on  the  shore  below  West   Point,  while  Andre, 
disobeying  the  order  of  Clinton,  was  rowed  from  the  sloop  at  night 
and  met  the  traitor  in  the  woods.     There  they  talked  for  hours,  and 
the  plans  for  the  surrender  of  West  Point  and  its  garrison  were  com 
pleted. 

But  the  interview  had  lasted  so  long  that  it  was  daylight  when  it 
was  finished.  In  the  mean  time  the  Vulture  had  been  fired  upon  by 
the  Americans  and  had  dropped  down  stream,  so  that  Andre  could 
not  get  back  to  her.  Thus  he  was  left  within  the  American  lines, 
but  it  seemed  an  easy  matter  to  return  to  New  York.  Arnold  fur 
nished  him  with  a  pass,  while  he  would  have  no  trouble  after  reach 
ing  his  own  lines.  Thus  provided,  and  in  the  character  of  an  Amer 
ican  merchant  named  John  Anderson,  he  mounted  a  horse  and  set 
out  to  ride  back  to  New  York  by  following  the  course  of  the  Hudson. 
All  went  well  until  he  reached  Tarrytown.  There  three  patriots  were 
seated  among  the  bushes  at  the  side  of  the  road  playing  cards. 
Their  names  were  John  Paulding,  Isaac  Van  Wart,  and  David  Wil 
liams.  When  the  young  horseman  came  round  the  bend  in  the  high- 
Capture  way,  Paulding  sprang  up,  and,  presenting  his  bayonet,  ordered  him 
Andre*  to  st°P-  His  two  companions  followed  close  behind  him  and  Andre 
had  no  choice  but  to  obey. 

Now,  it  so  happened  that  one  of  these  men  had  been  a  prisoner 
some  time  before  and  wore  a  British  coat  which  he  brought  away 
with  him.  '  Observing  this,  Andre  supposed  that  the  three  were  loy 
alists,  and  committed  the  fatal  blunder  of  acting  on  that  belief. 
Seeing  his  error,  the  three  encouraged  it,  until  finally  Andre  de 
clared  that  he  was  a  British  officer  engaged  on  important  business. 


CHAP.  XXXVI 


EVENTS    OF    1780 


555 


They  then  compelled  him  to  dismount,  and,  taking  him  to  one  side 
of  the  road,  carefully  searched  him.  In  his  stockings  were  found 
the  papers  which  proved  him  to  be  a  spy.  Andre  offered  any  amount 
of  money  for  his  release,  but  the  patriots,  poor  as  they  were,  could 
not  be  bribed.  The  three  young  men  conducted  their  prisoner  to 
Lieutenant- Colonel  Jameson,  in  command  of  the  nearest  military 
post  at  North  Castle.  That  officer  examined  the  papers,  and  then, 
with  a  stupidity  which  is  beyond  comprehension,  sent  the  particulars 
of  the  arrest  of  Andre  to  Benedict  Arnold.  Seeing  that  discovery 
was  certain,  Arnold  told  his  wife  the  truth,  kissed  his  sleeping  in 
fant,  darted  out  of  the  house,  sprang  into  the  saddle,  and  rode  head 
long  to  the  river,  where  he  sprang  into  a  boat  and  was  rowed  to  the 
Vulture.  She  immediately  made  sail  for  New  York,  where  she 
arrived  with  the  traitor,  who  was  rewarded  for  his  treachery  by  a 
colonelcy  in  the  English  army  and  the  sum  of  £6, 3 15.* 

Much  sympathy  was  felt  for  Andre,  but  there  could  be  no  denying 
the  fact  that  he  was  a  spy.  Every  possible  effort  was  made  to  save 
him,  Clinton  making  a  strong  appeal  to  Washington ;  but  the  latter, 
who  would  have  been  glad  to  exchange  the  prisoner  for  Arnold,  felt 
that  to  show  mercy  would  be  not  only  undeserved  but  an  act  of 
weakness.  Nathan  Hale  had  been  brutally  gibbeted,  and  Andre, 
who  was  tried  at  Tappan  by  fourteen  general  officers,  was  found 
guilty  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  He  wrote  to  Washington  ask 
ing  that  he  might  be  shot,  but  even  that  pitiful  boon  could  not  be 
granted.  He  was  hanged  October  2,  1780.  Congress  rewarded  his 

*  When  Benedict  Arnold,  who  was  despised  in  London  almost  as  heartily  as  by  his 
own  countrymen,  died,  he  left  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Edwin  Shippen  Arnold  be 
came  a  lieutenant  in  the  Sixth  Bengal  Cavalry  of  the  British  Army  and  paymaster  at 
Muttra,  India,  dying  in  1813,  at  Singapore.  James  Robertson  Arnold,  another  son,  was 
a  lieutenant-general  in  the  British  Army.  He  died  in  1834,  and  his  widow  in  1852. 
George  Arnold  was  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Second  Bengal  Cavalry  and  died  in  India 
in  1828. 

The  only  son  of  Benedict  Arnold  who  left  any  children  was  William  Fitch,  who  was 
also  an  officer  in  the  British  Army,  being  a  captain  in  the  Nineteenth  Lancers.  He  died 
in  1846  and  left  six  children,  of  whom  two  were  sons.  The  second  son,  William  Trail 
Arnold,  was  a  soldier  like  his  father,  grandfather,  and  all  of  his  uncles.  He  attained  the 
rank  of  captain  and  was  killed  at  Sebastopol.  Edwin  Gladwin  Arnold,  grandson  of  Bene 
dict  Arnold,  is  at  this  writing  an  honored  and  revered  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  Eng 
land.  All  four  of  the  daughters  of  William  Fitch  Arnold  married  clergymen  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  the  record  of  every  son  and  grandson  of  the  traitor  is  that  of  a 
daring,  high-minded  honorable  man,  while  their  posterity  are  distinguished  and  univer 
sally  respected  for  their  worth,  a  fact  which  no  one  can  regret,  since  they  could  not  be  in 
any  wav  responsible  for  the  sins  of  their  misguided  ancestor. 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Escape 

of 
Arnold 


Execu 
tion  of 
Andre 


556 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvi 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Decline 
of  the 
Ameri 
can  Navy 


three  captors  with  a  vote  of  thanks,  a  commemorative  medal,  and  two 
hundred  dollars  a  year  for  life.  A  marble  monument  rests  over  the 
burial-place  of  each,  while  a  monument  was  erected  to  the  memory 
of  Andre  in  Westminster  Abbey. 

There  was  little  left  of  the  American  navy  at  the  opening  of  1 780. 
Despite  the  brilliant  successes  that  marked  the  beginning  of  the 
Revolution,  the  overwhelming  power  of  England,  the  mistress  of  the 
seas,  had  virtually  annihilated  the  gallant  privateers  and  American 
vessels  of  war.  Great  Britain  had  suffered  such  loss  of  her  shipping 
and  commerce  that  she  refused  in  future  to  exchange  prisoners  and 
voted  85,000  men  for  her  navy  during  the  year  1780.  The  French 
fleet,  under  Count  d'Estaing,  having  sailed  to  the  West  Indies,  it  was 
well-nigh  impossible  for  the  American  vessels  to  get  to  sea.  Never 
theless,  a  few  succeeded  and  added  more  than  one  stirring  achieve 
ment  to  the  many  already  made. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII 
EVENTS   OF  1781   AND    CLOSE   OF   THE    WAR 

[Authorities  :  With  this  chapter  the  drama  of  the  Revolution  terminates.  It  opens  in 
gloom  but  closes  in  triumph.  The  surrender  at  Yorktown  not  only  shattered  England's 
attempt  to  wield  autocratic  power  over  her  colonies,  but  gave  them  their  well-earned 
independence.  "  Whatever  might  be  the  importance  of  the  event  in  the  history  of  Eng 
land,"  writes  Green,  the  historian,  "it  was  of  unequalled  moment  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  If  it  crippled  for  a  while  the  supremacy  of  the  English  nation,  it  founded  the 
supremacy  of  the  English  race.  From  the  hour  of  American  independence  the  life  of  the 
English  people  has  flowed  not  in  one  current,  but  in  two  ;  and  while  the  older  has  shown 
little  signs  of  lessening,  the  younger  has  fast  risen  to  a  greatness  which  has  changed  the 
face  of  the  world."  Much,  however,  as  we  shall  see,  was  yet  to  be  wrought  before  the 
young  Republic  was  set  on  its  feet.  What  lay  before  it,  it  set  about  sturdily,  though  not 
without  misgivings,  to  accomplish.  The  authorities,  American  and  English,  for  the 
period  are  those  already  enumerated.  For  the  story  of  the  Tory  loyalists,  for  whom, 
unfortunately,  there  was  no  amnesty,  and  who  were  now  to  be  driven,  by  the  soreness  of 
revolutionary  feeling,  from  their  homes,  see  Sabin's  "Loyalists  of  the  American  Revo 
lution,"  and  Jones'  "  Revolutionary  History  of  New  York."] 


HE  seventh  year  of    the    War     for     Independence 
abounded  with  striking  events,  one  of  the  first  im 
portance  being  a  remarkable  display  of  patriotism 
on  the  part  of  the  Continental  troops.     Congress 
was  weak  and  dilatory.     It  passed  strong  resolu 
tions  but  was  lax  in  carrying  them  out.     As  a  re 
sult  the  army  was  wofully  lacking  in  clothing  and 
The  British  held  hundreds  of  prisoners  and  exchanges 
Many  of  those  taken  on  Long  Island  and  at  Fort  Wash- 
1776,   underwent  horrible  sufferings   in  the  three  sugar 
in  the  Prevost  prison,  where    the  brutal  Marshal  Cun- 


in  money, 
were  slow, 
ington,  in 
houses  and 


Suffer 
ings 
of  the 
Patriot 
Army 


ningham  delighted  to  inflict  all  manner  of  cruelties  upon  them.     Un- 


558  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvii 

PERIOD  in  numbered  bones  of  the  patriots,  who  died  on  the  filthy  prison-ships, 

ANDFRAN?E  ^^  ty^S  to-day  at  the  bottom  of  Wallabout  Bay,  and  the  treatment 

AMERICA  °^  ^e  napless  captives  forms  one  of  the  darkest  episodes  in  the  his- 

J758  tory  of  the  Revolution. 

TO  * 

1783  There  was  bitter  complaint  among  the  soldiers  over  the  meaning 

of  the  words  of  their  enlistment  "for  three  years,  or  during  the  war." 
The  soldiers  claimed  (it  would  seem  with  justice,  for  such  was  the 
interpretation  of  similar  terms  for  enlistment  in  the  war  for  the 
Union)  that  this  meant  for  three  years,  if  the  war  lasted  so  long,  or 
less  if  the  war  should  end  within  three  years.  Congress  declared  the 
meaning  to  be  that  the  term  was  for  three  years,  or  to  the  end  of  the 
war,  no  matter  how  long  it  should  last.  Nothing  seemed  lacking  to 
bring  discontent  among  the  poor  soldiers.  They  received  their  pay 
only  at  long  intervals,  and  even  when  paid,  the  Continental  money  was 
worth  little  more  than  waste-paper — the  currency  having  so  greatly 
dePreciated.  Angered  beyond  all  bearing  by  the  neglect  or  indiffer- 
Pennsyl-  ence  of  Congress,  thirteen  hundred  of  the  Pennsylvania  line  revolted 

^Line  at  Morristown  on  the  first  day  of  the  year,  and  prepared  to  march  to 
Philadelphia  and  compel  Congress  to  do  them  justice.  General 
Wayne  did  his  utmost  to  restrain  them.  He  appealed  to  their  patri 
otism,  and,  drawing  his  pistol,  threatened  to  shoot  the  first  man  who 
moved.  The  soldiers  presented  their  bayonets  at  his  breast  and  de 
clared  that,  while  they  loved  and  honored  him,  they  would  kill  him 
if  he  fired. 

"  I  will  not  fire,"  replied  the  brave  man,  "but  I  will  go  with  you." 
He  rode  with  them  to  Princeton,  where  they  gave  him  a  written 
list  of  their  complaints  and  demands.  They  were  reasonable.  Under 
his  promise  to  lay  them  before  Congress,  the  troops  returned  to  Mor 
ristown.  Congress  saw  that  it  would  not  do  to  trifle,  and  the  de 
mands,  as  far  as  possible,  were  complied  with.  Most  of  the  Penn 
sylvania  line  was  disbanded  for  the  winter,  new  recruits  taking  their 
place  in  the  spring. 

When  Sir  Henry  Clinton  in  New  York  heard  of  the  revolt  he  was 

True      delighted.     He  crossed  over  to  Staten  Island  to  abet  the  mutineers, 

*ilm  ~  and  sent  two  agents  among  them,  with  a  Tory,  who  offered  to  pay  the 
men  in  cash  every  dollar  they  claimed  if  they  would  march  to  New 
York,  where  he  would  take  them  under  his  protection.  The  indig 
nant  soldiers  seized  the  emissaries  and  handed  them  over  to  Wayne, 
with  the  request  that  he  would  hang  them  as  spies.  General  Wayne 


REVOLT  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA  LINE 

FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    DRAWING    BY    H.   A.   OGDEN 


560  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvn 

PERIOD  in  gladly  complied.     The  reward  that  had  been  promised  for  the  detec- 
ENGLAND     tion  of  these  secret  agents  was  offered  to  the  soldiers.      "  No,"  was 

AND  FRANCE 

AMERICA    the  reply ;    "  necessity  forced  us  to  demand  justice  from  Congress, 

J758       but  we  want  no  pay  for  doing  our  simple  duty."      A  few  weeks  after 

1783       this  revolt,  a  part  of  the  New  Jersey  line  followed  the  example  of 

the  Pennsylvanians.     Washington  saw  that  his  army  would  dissolve 

unless  he  took  stern  repressive  measures.     Two  of  the  ringleaders 

were  hanged,  and  then  all  trouble  of  that  nature  ended. 

The  War  The  chief  theatre  of  events  was  now  in  the  South.  Beginning  in 
South  New  England,  the  tide  of  war  had  steadily  rolled  southward,  and  the 
closing  scenes  were  to  take  place  on  Southern  soil.  General  Greene, 
now  in  chief  command  of  the  patriots,  set  himself  to  a  herculean  task 
with  his  usual  address  and  skill.  His  army  was  formed  in  two  divi 
sions.  He  took  post  with  the  main  body  at  Cheraw,  east  of  the 
Pedee,  while  Gen.  Daniel  Morgan,  with  a  thousand  men,  was  sta 
tioned  near  the  junction  of  the  Broad  and  Pacolet  rivers,  .in  western 
South  Carolina.  Thus  Cornwallis,  who  was  preparing  to  march  again 
into  North  Carolina,  found  himself  between  two  bodies  of  patriots. 
The  British  commander  sent  Tarleton  with  a  superior  force  to  cap 
ture  or  rout  Morgan,  who  fell  back  to  The  Cowpens,  near  the  North 
Carolina  line.  Although  opposed  by  a  more  numerous  enemy,  the 
partiots  demanded  a  chance  to  wipe  out  the  disgrace  of  Camden,  and 
no  one  could  have  been  more  pleased  to  comply  than  their  leader. 
Battle  of  Hostilities  opened  on  the  morning  of  January  i/th,  and  the 
Cowpens  affair  quickly  became  a  furious  engagement.  Morgan  manoeuvred 
and  fought  with  so  much  skill  that  Tarleton  was  utterly  routed,  his 
cavalry  being  pursued  for  twenty  miles.  The  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  but  seventy-two  killed  and  wounded,  while  that  of  the  enemy 
was  more  than  three  hundred,  with  five  hundred  prisoners,  and  an 
immense  amount  of  supplies.  The  victory  was  a  crushing  one,  and 
caused  considerable  consternation  in  the  camp  of  Cornwallis  when 
the  news  reached  him.  Morgan  crossed  the  Broad  River  with  his 
prisoners,  intending  to  make  his  way  to  Virginia.  Cornwallis  mean 
while  started  with  his  whole  army  in  pursuit.  He  was  confident  of 
heading  off  the  patriots  at  the  fords  of  the  Catawba,  but  reached 
there  two  hours  after  Morgan  had  crossed.  It  was  late  in  the  after 
noon,  and,  feeling  sure  of  his  game,  he  waited  until  morning,  when 
he  received  a  reminder  of  his  experience  with  Washington  at  Tren 
ton,  four  years  before.  Morgan  was  gone,  and  a  heavy  rainfall  had 


CHAP.  XXXVII 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


561 


so  raised  the  stream  that  the   British   commander  was  held  idle  for    PERIOD  in 
several  hours,  during  which  Morgan  reached  the  banks  of  the  Yadkin,     ENGLAND 
where  Greene  joined  him,  having  left  his  troops  at   Cheraw  in  com 
mand  of  General  Huger.      On  his  way,  however,  Greene  learned  of 
the  pursuit  by  Cornwallis,  and  sent  orders  to  Huger  to  break  camp 
and  unite  with  Morgan  at  Salisbury  or  Charlotte. 

The  movements  which  followed  were  among  the  most  remarkable 
in  our  history.  Greene  was  making  for  Virginia  and  Cornwallis 
chased  him  for  two  hundred  miles.  The  pursuer  had  been  held  sev- 


AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


CAPTURE  OF  A  REDOUBT  AT  YORKTOWN 

eral  hours  at  the  Catawba,  but,  crossing  at  last,  he  renewed  the  chase 
after  Morgan,  and  reached  one  bank  of  the  Yadkin,  February  3d,  as 
the  Americans  on  the  other  side  were  forming  in  line  to  continue 
the  march  southward.  And,  lo  !  the  Yadkin  was  rising  rapidly  just 
as  the  Catawba  had  done.  The  impatient  Cornwallis  had  to  linger 
until  the  next  day,  while  the  Continentals  leisurely  marched  off  on 
their  course.  They  were  joined  at  Guilford  Court  House  by  the 
troops  from  the  Pedee,  but  being  far  inferior  to  their  pursuers  in 
numbers,  they  continued  their  retreat  to  the  Dan,  which  was  already 
rising,  when  on  the  1 3th  of  February  they  crossed  and  entered  Hali 
fax  County,  Va.  By  and  by,  when  Cornwallis  came  again  in  view, 


A 

Skilful 
Retreat 


562  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvn 

PERIOD  in  he  found  himself  stopped  for  the  third  time  by  high  water.     Dis- 

A^F^E  £usted  with  the  turn   of  affairs,   he  wheeled  about  and,  marching 
AMERICA     through  North   Carolina,  reached  Hillsborough,  where  he  made  his 
J758       headquarters. 

T783  Having  rested  and  recruited  his  men,  Greene  recrossed  the  Dan  ten 

days  later.     His  army  was  now  recruited  to  about  five  thousand,  and 

Battle  at  he  sought  a  meeting  with  Cornwallis.  A  battle  of  two  hours'  duration 
Court  was  fought  at  Guilford  Court  House  on  the  I5th  of  March.  It,  too, 
House  was  of  the  fiercest  character  and  proved  disastrous  to  both  sides. 
The  Americans  lost  four  hundred  killed  and  wounded,  while  a  thou 
sand  deserted  and  went  home.  The  British  losses  were  six  hundred 
men.  When  the  news  reached  England,  a  member  of  Parliament 
exclaimed:  "Another  such  victory  will  ruin  the  British  army." 
Cornwallis  now  retreated  towards  Wilmington,  on  learning  which 
Greene  pursued  him  to  Deep  River,  but  turned  back  towards  Cam- 
den,  determined  to  strike  a  blow  for  the  recovery  of  South  Carolina 
from  the  enemy. 

Meanwhile,  Benedict  Arnold  was  striving  to  earn  the  reward  that 
had  been  paid  him  for  his  treason.  He  was  now  fighting  "  with  a 
rope  around  his  neck,"  for  he  knew  that  if  he  fell  into  the  hands  of 
his  former  comrades,  they  would  make  short  work  with  him.  He 
was  sent  from  New  York  to  Virginia,  with  about  sixteen  hundred 
British  and  Tories  and  several  armed  ships.  His  purpose  was  to 
compel  Virginia  to  bring  back  the  troops  which  had  been  sent  to 

Arnold's  the  help  of  the  Carolinas.  Arnold  ascended  the  James  River  and 
landed  about  a  thousand  men  at  Westover,  January  2,  1781.  The 
Baron  de  Steubenwas  at  this  time  in  Virginia  collecting  recruits  and 
training  them,  and  there  was  a  hurried  gathering  of  the  militia  to 
meet  the  traitor.  The  Baron  kept  his  small  force  to  the  south  of  the 
James,  under  the  belief  that  Petersburg  was  the  object  of  Arnold's 
attack,  but,  instead,  he  pushed  on  to  Richmond,  the  greater  portion 
of  which  he  laid  in  ashes.  Then  he  retreated  to  Westover  and  set 
out  on  another  raid  down  the  river.  He  was  pursued  by  the  militia, 
but  fled  up  stream  to  Portsmouth,  opposite  Norfolk.  The  Americans 
tried  hard  to  capture  Arnold.  Jefferson,  governor  of  Virginia, 
offered  five  thousand  guineas  for  his  arrest,  and  Washington  sent 
Lafayette  with  twelve  hundred  men  to  help  catch  the  recreant. 
General  Phillips  arrived  in  March  and  superseded  Arnold  in  command 
of  the  British  troops.  He  took  with  him  two  thousand  picked  men, 


CHAP.   XXXVII 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


563 


and  plundered  many  plantations,  sending  hundreds  of  slaves  to  the    PERIOD  in 
West    Indies.       While    the    movements    were    converging    against 
Arnold,    Cornwallis   himself  arrived  and  assumed   command.     The 
earl  held  the  traitor  in  such  contempt  that  he  sent  him  back  to  New 
York,  where  he  was  not  compelled  to  meet  or  to  speak  to  him. 

Cornwallis  caused  a  wholesale  destruction   of   property,  but  fell 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


GENERAL  NATHANIEL  GREENE 


back  before  the  advance  of  Lafayette,  Steuben,  and  Wayne,  to  Wil- 
liamsburg.  There  orders  reached  him  from  Clinton  in  New  York, 
to  send  three  thousand  of  his  troops  thither  for  its  protection  against 
the  combined  French  and  American  armies.  Cornwallis  was  also 
directed  to  select  some  suitable  place  and  fortify  it.  The  earl  was 
made  very  angry  by  the  reception  of  this  command,  for  he  believed 
Clinton  did  it  purposely  to  break  up  the  active  campaign  he  had 


Move- 


wallis 


564 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvn 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


Defeats 
and  Suc 
cesses 
in  the 
South 


Success 

of 

General 
Greene 


begun  in  Virginia.  Nevertheless,  he  had  no  choice  but  to  obey. 
After  sending  away  such  a  large  detachment  of  his  troops,  he-saw 
that  his  safety  lay  in  selecting  a  good  position  and  making  it  as 
strong  as  possible.  At  Yorktown,  therefore,  on  a  high  and  salubrious- 
plain,  he  erected  his  fortified  camp,  throwing  up  military  defences 
also  at  Gloucester,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.'  Here  we  will 
leave  him  for  a  time  while  we  take  a  brief  glance  at  military  events 
occurring  elsewhere. 

Lord  Rawdon  was  at  Camden  with  nine  hundred  men,  strongly 
intrenched.  To  gain  possession  of  the  interior  of  South  Carolina, 
General  Greene  saw  that  he  must  capture  Camden  and  Ninety-Six. 
Giving  up  the  pursuit  of  Cornwallis,  he  marched  against  Rawdon. 
His  position  was  too  strong  to  be  attacked,  and  while  Greene  was 
waiting  for  reinforcements,  Rawdon  marched  out  and  attacked  him 
on  the  morning  of  April  25th.  Greene  was  taken  partly  by  surprise, 
but  he  fought  bravely  and  with  much  skill,  though  compelled  in  the 
end  to  retreat,  the  loss  on  each  side  being  about  equal.  Lee  and 
Marion  captured  Wright's  Bluff,  on  the  Santee,  the  next  day,  thus 
cutting  the  communication  of  the  enemy  with  Charleston,  upon  which 
they  had  to  rely  for  supplies.  This  compelled  Rawdon  to  leave 
Camden  and  retreat  to  Eutaw  Springs. 

Greene  now  laid  siege  to  the  strong  post  Ninety-Six,  when,  learn 
ing  that  reinforcements  were  on  their  way  to  strengthen  the  garrison, 
he  attacked  it,  but  was  unsuccessful.  The  British,  however,  evacu 
ated  the  place  soon  after,  and  the  Americans  took  possession.  Colo 
nel  Stewart,  who  had  now  superseded  Lord  Rawdon,  was  attacked  by 
Greene  at  Eutaw  Springs,  September  8th.  The  battle  began  in  the 
morning  and  quickly  became  general.  The  British  were  defeated, 
and  the  jubilant  Americans  began  plundering  their  deserted  camp. 
While  they  were  feasting,  the  enemy  assailed  them  and  compelled 
them  to  retreat,  but  Stewart  held  the  partisan  troops  around  him  in 
such  fear  that  he  withdrew  towards  Charleston.  Greene  sent  detach 
ments  to  pursue  them  a  long  way  while  he  occupied  the  deserted 
field.  This  virtually  ended  Greene's  campaign,  which  had  been 
pushed  with  a  skill  that  could  not  well  have  been  surpassed.  He 
had  driven  the  invaders  from  the  interior  of  North  Carolina,  South 
Carolina,  and  Georgia.  Congress  passed  for  him  a  vote  of  thanks, 
and  presented  him  with  a  gold  medal,  together  with  a  British  stand 
ard  captured  during  battle. 


CHAP.   XXXVII 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


565 


At  this  time  the  Count  de  Grasse  was  in  command  of  the  French 
fleet  in  the  West  Indies,  and  had  given  assurances  to  Washington  that 
he  would  co-operate  with  the  allied  armies  in  a  new  movement  against 
the  British.  Washington  was  at  Dobbs  Ferry  planning  a  campaign 
against  Clinton  in  New  York,  but  the  prospects  for  a  time  were 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

1783 


LORD  CORNWALLIS 


gloomy.  Then  they  brightened ;  for  on  the  6th  of  July,  the  French 
forces  from  New  England,  under  Rochambeau  (ro-s/iong-bo) ,  arrived 
at  Dobbs  Ferry  and  joined  the  Americans.  The  two  commanders 
held  many  conferences  with  leading  members  of  Congress  over  the 
momentous  campaign  now  impending.  Learning  that  the  French 
fleet  had  headed  for  the  Chesapeake,  Washington  decided  to  abandon 
his  intended  campaign  against  New  York,  join  Lafayette  at  the  York 


French 
and 

Ameri 
can 

Forces 


566 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvii 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 

Plan  of 
Wash 
ington 


peninsula,  and  push  Cornwallis  to  the  wall, 
of  August  14,  1781,  Washington  wrote: 


In  his  diary  under  date 


Advance 
of  the 
Allied 
Armies 


"  Matters  having  now  come  to  a  crisis,  and  a  decided  plan  to  be 
determined  upon,  I  was  obliged,  from  the  shortness  of  Count  de 
Grasse's  promised  stay  on  this  coast,  the  apparent  disinclination  of 
their  naval  officers  to  force  the  harbor  of  New  York,  and  the  feeble 
compliance  of  the  States  with  my  requisition  for  men  hitherto,  and 
the  little  prospect  of  greater  exertions  in  the  future,  to  give  up  all 
idea  of  attacking  New  York,  and  instead  thereof  to  move  against 
Yorktown." 

Washington,  by  many  stratagems,  confirmed  Clinton  in  his  belief 
that  he  intended  to  attack  him  in  New  York.  It  was  not  until  Sep 
tember,  a  week  after  the  allied  armies  had  been  on  their  march,  that 
Clinton  learned  that,  instead  of  the  movement  being  a  feint  to  cover 
a  sudden  descent  upon  the  city,  the  armies  were  really  marching 
against  Cornwallis,  far  away  in  Virginia.  He  took  some  comfort  in 
the  fact  that  he  had  countermanded  the  order  for  Cornwallis  to  send 
troops  to  New  York. 

Good  news  came  to  Washington  September  5th,  when  the  allied 
armies  had  encamped  at  Chester,  Pa.  De  Grasse  with  his  ships  and 
land  troops  had  entered  Chesapeake  Bay.  Three  days  later  Wash 
ington,  accompanied  by  Rochambeau  and  the  Marquis  de  Chastellux, 
left  Baltimore  for  a  two  days'  visit  to  Mount  Vernon,  from  which 
the  commander-in-chief  had  been  absent  more  than  six  years.  The 
last  division  of  the  allied  forces  reached  Williamsburg,  September 
25th,  and  preparations  for  the  siege  were  at  once  begun.  Cornwallis 
saw  the  danger  closing  round  him,  and  urged  Clinton  to  send  him  what 
aid  he  could,  adding  that,  if  he  did  not  quickly  do  so,  he  must  be 
prepared  to  hear  the  worst.  On  the  28th,  the  allied  armies,  twelve 
thousand  in  number,  marched  from  Williamsburg  to  Yorktown, 
twelve  miles  distant.  The  British  outposts  were  driven  in,  and 
possession  taken  of  the  abandoned  positions.  The  tactical  line  of 
the  co-operating  allies  was  in  the  form  of  a  horseshoe,  two  miles 
from  the  enemy's  works.  By  the  3<Dth,  each  line  rested  on  the  river 
and  thus  Yorktown  was  completely  invested.  The  British,  at  Glou 
cester,  were  held  powerless  •  by  the  French  dragoons,  the  Virginia 
militia,  and  a  strong  force  of  French  marines.  Tarleton  once  at 
tempted  a  sortie  with  his  cavalry,  but  they  were  routed,  Tarleton 
narrowly  escaping  being  made  a  prisoner.  The  siege  was  pressed 


, 


rml 


Kg! 


'"'  j* 


THE  SURRENDER  AT  YORKTOWN 


CHAP,  xxxvn  EVENTS    OF    1781  567 

with  concerted  vigor,  the  allies  pushing  steadily  forward,  French  and  PERIOD  in 
Americans  together  in  friendly  rivalry.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  Qth 
a  cannonade  was  begun  by  the  Americans  on  the  right.  It  con 
tinued  all  night,  and  in  the  morning  the  French  batteries  on  the  left 
joined  in  the  bombardment.  That  night  several  British  vessels  in 
the  river  were  fired  by  being  struck  by  red-hot  shot. 


The  situation  of  Cornwallis  grew  more  desperate  every  day  and  Hopeless 
indeed  almost  every  hour.     His  cavalry  suffered  so  much  because  of     tioi^of 
lack  of  forage  that  many  of  the  horses  were  killed  and  sent  floating      Corn- 
down  the  river.     The  French  fleet  were  on  the  alert  for  reinforce 
ments  from  Clinton,  and  the  lines  of  the  allied  troops  pressed  closer 
and  closer.     An  epidemic,  meanwhile,  broke  out  in  the  British  camp, 
and  two  thousand  of  the  seven  thousand  under  Cornwallis  were  soon 


568  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvn 

PERIOD  in  in  the  hospital.     The  longing  eyes  cast  southward  saw  no  friendly 
AND  FRANCE  sa^  whitening  the  waters,  and  the  hopes  of  the  British  were  well-nigh 
AMERICA     gone-     Cornwallis,  as  a  last  recourse,  determined  to  leave  behind  him 
J758       his  sick,  his  baggage,  and  all  his  impedimenta,  cross  the  river  at 
I-Zf?       night  to  Gloucester,  attack  the  French  there,  and  then  push  north 
ward  by  rapid  marches  through  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  to  New 
York.     A  part  of  his  army  crossed,  but  a  storm  drove  the  boats  down 
stream.     It  took  until  daylight  to  recover  them,  when  the  troops  that 
had  been  taken  over  were  brought  back. 

Sur-          This  misfortune  ended  all  thought  of  resistance  on  the  part  of  the 
render  of 
Corn-      British  commander.     He  opened  negotiations  for  surrender,  and  the 

walhs  terms  of  capitulation  were  signed  October  i8th.  On  the  following 
afternoon,  at  two  o'clock,  the  British  army  marched  out  of  Yorktown, 
with  colors  cased,  drums  beating,  and  muskets  at  the  shoulder.  The 
French  were  drawn  up  on  the  left  of  the  road,  the  Americans  on  the 
right,  their  lines  extending  more  than  a  mile.  With  a  delicacy  char 
acteristic  of  him,  Washington  ordered  all  mere  spectators  to  keep 
away,  and  he  suppressed  every  evidence  of  exultation.  General 
O'Hara  rode  at  the  head  of  the  British  troops.  When  opposite 
Washington,  on  his  white  charger,  he  raised  his  hat,  and  apologized 
for  the  absence  of  Cornwallis,  who,  he  said,  was  ill.  Washington 
replied  that  to  General  Lincoln  had  been  assigned  the  duty  of  receiv 
ing  the  submission  of  the  garrison.  It  was  he  who  had  been  com 
pelled  to  surrender  Charleston  the  previous  year  to  Sir  Henry  Clin 
ton.  Lincoln  conducted  the  troops  to  an  open  field  and  gave  the 

f 

order  to  "ground  arms."     Some  of  the  men  were  so  angry  that  they 
flung  their  muskets  down  with  a  violence  that  broke  them — a  bit  of 


spleen  perhaps  justified  by  the  humiliating  occasion. 


* 


*Lord  Cornwallis  [1738-1805],  British  general,  Governor-General  of  India  during 
the  Mysore  War,  and  Lord -Lieutenant  of  Ireland  at  the  era  of  the  union  with  Great 
Britain,  was  the  son  of  Earl  Cornwallis,  whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Lord  Townshend 
and  niece  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole.  He  entered  the  army  in  1756  and  first  saw  active  ser 
vice  at  Minden  and  in  other  actions, under  Ferdinand  of  Brunswick,  the  Prussian  general, 
who  commanded  the  allied  troops  against  France  in  the  Seven  Years'  War.  On  the 
death  of  his  father  he  sat  in  the  House  of  Lords  as  a  Whig  peer,  and  was  opposed  to  co 
ercive  measures  against  the  American  colonies.  In  1776  he  came  to  America  with  rein 
forcements,  and  took  a  command  first  under  Sir  William  Howe  and  afterwards  under  Sir 
Henry  Clinton.  His  military  talents  were  far  superior  to  those  of  either  of  his  chiefs,  as 
is  shown  by  his  exploits  in  the  various  operations  of  the  war,  in  his  capture  of  Fort  Lee 
and  pursuit  of  Washington  through  New  Jersey,  in  the  victory  on  the  Brandywine  and 
the  occupation  of  Philadelphia,  and,  later,  in  his  defeat  of  Gates  at  Camden,  and  in  the 


CHAP,  xxxvii  EVENTS    OF    1781  569 

The  total  number  of  troops  surrendered  was  about  seven  thousand,    PERIOD  in 
exclusive  of  two  thousand  sailors,  nearlv  as  manv  negroes,  and  fifteen     ENGLAND 

J  AND  FRANCE 

hundred  Tories.      During  the  siege  the  enemy  had  lost  five  hundred     ^J^,^ 
and  fifty  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  that  of  the  allies   being       *758 
about  three  hundred.      With  the  prisoners  were  delivered  about  eight       1783 
thousand   muskets,  seventy-five   brass,  one   hundred  and   sixty   iron 
cannon,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  ammunition  and  stores.     The 
force  which  brought  about  this  great  victory  included  thirty-seven 
ships-of-the-line  and  seven  thousand  men,  furnished  by  the  French, 
and  nine- thousand  troops,  including  five  thousand  five  hundred  regu 
lars,  provided  by  the  Americans. 

The  decisive  triumph  secured  the  independence  of  America.  On 
the  succeeding  day  Washington  expressed  in  general  orders  his  great 
commendation  of  both  armies.  The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and 
divine  services  were  held  throughout  the  camp.  Lieutenant- Colonel 
Tighlman,  one  of  Washington's  aides,  mounted  a  swift  horse  and  set 
out  with  the  glorious  news  for  Philadelphia.  He  reached  there  at  The 
midnight,  October  23d,  and  the  joyful  tidings  quickly  spread.  The  Np^a.m 
watchman  on  his  rounds  added  to  his  usual  cry  "  All's  well !"  the  delphia 
words  "and  Cornwallis  is  taken!"  The  old  State  House  bell  was 
set  ringing,  and  nearly  every  one  was  on  the  streets,  shaking  hands, 
cheering,  or  perhaps  shedding  tears  of  joy.  It  was  hardly  light  when 
cannon  began  booming.  Congress  met  at  an  early  hour,  and  the 
despatch  from  Washington  was  read.  It  was  decided  to  go  in  a  body, 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  to  the  Dutch  Lutheran  Church  and 
there  "return  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  crowning  the  allied 
armies  of  the  United  States  and  France  with  victory."  A  few  days 

affair  at  Guilford  Court-House.  Hemmed  in  by  De  Grasse's  French  fleet  and  Washing 
ton's  army  at  Yorktown — a  position  which  he  occupied  by  Clinton's  orders  and  out  of 
which  his  superior  officer  failed  to  relieve  him — he  was  forced,  as  we  have  seen,  to  capitu 
late.  On  being  released  from  his  parole  he  was  offered,  on  his  return  to  England,  the 
Governor-Generalship  of  India,  but  the  appointment  he  did  not  accept  until  the  offer 
was  renewed  in  1786.  There  he  distinguished  himself  by  many  important  services,  civil 
and  military.  He  took  part  in  the  operations  against  Tippoo  Sahib,  and  was  present 
with  Sir  Robert  Abercromby  at  the  storming  of  Seringapatam.  For  his  services  in  India 
he  was  created  Marquis.  Returning  to  England  in  1793,  he  was  appointed  Master  of 
Ordnance,  with  a  seat  in  the  Cabinet;  and,  when  the  Irish  rebellion  of  1798  broke  out,  he 
was  made  viceroy.  Under  his  regime,  the  Irish  rising  was  humanely  repressed  and  the 
Act  of  Union  passed.  In  1805,  he  was  again  nominated  to  the  Governor-Generalship  of 
India,  where  he  died  a  few  months  after  his  arrival  in  the  great  dependency  of  the  British 
Crown.  Specially  valuable  is  the  "Cornwallis  Correspondence,"  in  relation  alike  to 
American,  Irish,  and  East  Indian  affairs. 


570  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvii 

PERIOD  in  later  Congress  voted  the  nation's  thanks  and  fitting  honors  to  Wash- 

J?D  FRANCE  ington>  Rochambeau,  and  De  Grasse,  and  their  officers,  and  resolved 

AMERICA  tnat  a  mai"kle  column  should  be  erected  at  Yorktown  to  commemorate 


the  event. 

The  news  reached  England  November  25th,  and  there,  naturally 
enough,  caused  dismay  and  consternation.     Lord  North,  the  prime 
minister,  flung  up  his  arms  and  exclaimed:    "  O  God,  it  is  all  over!" 
The  f     When  the  stubborn  king  had  rallied  from  the  shock,  he  declared  that 
England  no  efforts  should  be  relaxed  until  the  colonies  were  subdued.     But 
the  growing  opposition  to  the  war  asserted  itself  in  every  quarter. 
Lord  North  retired  from  the  ministry  in  March  of  the  following  year 
(1782),  and  the  successors  of  himself  and  his  associates  were,  hap 
pily,  the  friends  of  peace.     King  George  stormed  for  a  while,  but  in 
the  end  was  compelled  to  yield.     In  May,  Sir  Guy  Carletori  arrived 
in  New  York,  with  proposals  for  reconciliation.     These  statements 
Peace     will  explain  the  inscription  on  the  recently  erected   Dobbs  Ferry 
monument,  the  corner-stone  of  which  was  laid  June  14,  1894  : 

WASHINGTON'S    HEADQUARTERS. 


Here,  August  14,  1781,  Washington  planned  the 

Yorktown    campaign,  which   brought   to 

a  triumphant  end  the  War  for 

American  Independence. 

Here,   May  6,    1783,   Washington   and   Sir  Guy 
Carleton  arranged  for  the  evacuation  of 

American   soil    by   the    British. 

And  opposite  this  point,  May  8,   1783,  a  British 

sloop  of  war  fired  1 7  guns  in  honor  of  the 

American  Commander-in-Chief ,  the 

first  salute  by  Great  Britain 

to  the  United  States 

of  America. 


WASHINGTON 
ROCHAMBEAU 


Erected 
June  14,  1894, 

by  the 

New  York  State  Society 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution. 

In  relating  the  closing  events  qf  the  war,  we  must  not  forget  the 
further  part  taken  by  our  gallant  little  navy.  We  stated  in  our  ac 
count  of  Paul  Jones  that  the  capture  of  the  Serapis  was  the  last  ser- 


CHAP,  xxxvn  EVENTS    OF    1781  571 

vice  which  he  rendered  to  our  country.      From  this  it  should  not  be    PERIOD  in 

supposed  that  he  lost  his  interest  in  the  struggle,  or  was  not  as  eager 

as  ever  to  strike  his  telling  blows  for  the  cause  of  American  independ- 

ence.      He  sailed  from  France  in  September,  1780,  in  command  of 

the  2O-gun  ship  Ariel,  lent  him  by  the  king.      She,  however,  proved 

unseaworthy,  and  was  so  wrenched  in  a  storm  that  he  had'  to  work 

his  way  back  to  port,  from  which  he  sailed  in  December,  1780.      Early 

in  January  he  began  an  action  with  an  English  ship,  which  he  com 

pelled  to  strike  her  colors,  but  she  effected  her  escape  in  the  darkness 

and  confusion.     Jones  was  next  made  commander  of  the  74-gun  ship 

America,  but  the  war  ended  before  she  was  ready  for  sea. 

In  February,  1781,  the  Alliance  left  Boston  for  France,  and  on  the 
outward  voyage  captured  the  privateer  Alert.  She  sailed  from  on  the 
L'  Orient  March  3  ist,  accompanied  by  the  French  4O-gun  letter  of 
marque,  Marquis  de  la  Fayette.  Two  days  later,  they  together  cap 
tured  the  English  26-gun  privateer  Mars,  and  the  Minctva,  of  ten 
guns.  Then  the  Alliance  continued  her  cruise  alone.  While  draw 
ing  near  two  sails  on  the  28th  of  May,  the  wind  fell  to  that  extent 
that  the  Alliance  lost  her  steerage  way,  but  the  smaller  vessels,  aided 
by  sweeps,  took  a  favorable  position  off  the  frigate's  stern  and  quarter 
and  opened  fire.  For  an  hour  Captain  Barry  was  obliged  to  hold  this 
intolerable  position,  receiving  the  broadsides  of  the  enemy  and  unable 
to  return  an  effective  fire.  Barry  was  badly  wounded  and  carried 
below.  When  on  the  point  of  surrendering,  the  breeze  freshened, 
the  Alliance  ran  between  her  two  opponents,  and  she  poured  such 
tremendous  broadsides  into  them  that  they  struck.  One  of  the  prizes, 
while  striving  to  run  into  Boston,  was  retaken,  but  the  Alliance 
made  port  in  safety. 

A  brilliant  victory  by  a  Pennsylvania  State  cruiser  was  gained  as 
late  as  April,  1782.  She  was  \heHyder  Ally,  a  merchant  ship,  carry 
ing  sixteen  6-pounders,  and  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  ten  men  under 
command  of  Lieut.  Joshua  Barney.  Her  duty  was  to  convoy  a  fleet 
of  merchantmen  down  to  the  Capes,  after  which  she  was  to  return  to  " 


the  State  jurisdiction.  Off  Cape  May  on  the  8th  of  April,  while  the  VictoiT 
merchantmen  were  waiting  for  a  breeze,  two  English  cruisers  stood 
in  towards  them.  Barney  instantly  signalled  to  the  merchantmen  to 
make  sail  up  the  bay  while  he  covered  their  retreat.  The  first  Eng 
lishman  delivered  a  broadside  at  the  Hyder  Ally  and  continued  her 
pursuit  of  the  convoy,  without  receiving  a  reply  from  the  American, 


COPYRIGHT  1896. 


THE  HYDER  ALLY  AND  THE  GENERAL  MONK 

FROM   THE   ORIGINAL   PAINTING   BY  WARREN   SHEPPARD 


CHAP.  XXXVI 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


573 


who  was  waiting  for  the  second  vessel,  the  2O-gun  sloop-of-war 
General  Monk.  When  directly  opposite,  the  Hyder  Ally  delivered  a 
broadside,  whereupon  the  General  Monk  put  about  with  the  intention 
of  boarding,  perceiving  which  Lieutenant  Barney  told  his  man  at  the 
wheel,  when  he  received  an  order  from  him  to  do  exactly  the  reverse 
of  the  command  given  him.  At  the  moment  the  ships  were  about 
to  foul,  Barney  shouted :  "  Hard  port  your  helm,  or  you  will  run 
afoul  of  us !"  The  wheelman  instantly  turned  the  wheel  hard  to  the 
starboard  and  brought  the  Englishman's  jibboom  afoul  of  their  fore- 
rigging,  the  enemy,  who  had  heard  the  command  as  it  was  intended 
he  should,  having  no  suspicion  of  what  was  really  intended.  As  a 
consequence,  he  was  instantly  exposed  to  a  raking  fire  from  the  whole 
American  broadside,  which  was  so  destructive  that  the  General  Monk 
was  speedily  forced  to  surrender.  Then  Barney  rejoined  his  convoy 
before  another  English  ship  could  come  within  range. 

This  American  victory  was  the  more  striking  when  all  the  facts  are 
remembered.  Their  comparative  force  and  estimated  loss,  as  given 
by  Maclay,  were  as  follows : 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1753 

TO 
1783 


Hyder  Ally. .  . 
General  Monk 


Guns.            Lbs.               Crew.  Killed.  Wounded.  Total. 

16     96     no  4     ii  15 

20     180     136  20     33  53 

Time  of  engagement,  30  minutes. 


During  the  Revolution,  542  seamen  of  the  regular  navy  were  killed 
in  battle,  while  considerably  more  were  lost  in  the  privateers  which 
played  so  active  a  part  in  the  struggle.  Of  the  542  killed,  311  per 
ished  when  the  United  States  2 8 -gun  frigate  Randolph,  Captain 
Nicholas  Biddle,  was  blown  up  by  a  shot  from  the  Yarmouth,  March 
7,  1778.  About  the  same  number  of  soldiers  were  slain  in  the  land 
battles,  but  this  estimate  does  not  include  the  9,500  Americans  who 
died  in  the  British  prison-ships  in  Wallabout  Bay.  Besides  the 
Americans,  1,500  French  sailors,  who  had  been  captured  near  our 
coast,  thus  died.  The  total  number  of  Americans  who  lost  their  lives 
in  the  Revolutionary  War  was,  approximately,  12,000.  The  total 
number  of  Continental  vessels  lost  during  the  struggle  by  capture, 
wreck,  and  other  casualty,  was  24,  carrying  470  guns.  The  loss  of 
the  British  was  102  war  vessels,  carrying  2,622  guns,  and  the  total 
number  captured  by  American  cruisers,  privateers,  or  private  enter 
prise,  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  800. 


Losses 

of  the 

Patriots 

during 

the 

Revolu 
tion 


574 


'  HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvn 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 

178.3 

Finan 
cial  Cost 
of  the 
Revolu 
tion 


The 
Tories 


The  financial  cost  of  the  Revolution  cannot  be  exactly  given. 
That  of  the  United  States  has  been  estimated  at  135  millions  in 
specie.  The  debt  of  Great  Britain  was  increased  during  the  war  over 
600  million  dollars.  Probably  at  no  time  did  the  British  forces  in 
this  county  exceed  40,000  men.  Our  own  armies  were  mainly  made 
up  of  militia  and  minute-men,  whose  terms  of  service,  as  a  rule,  were 
brief. 

Throughout  the  struggle  there  was  naturally  much  resentment 
against  the  Tories.  Most  of  the  States  had  passed  laws  to  confiscate 
the  estates  of  persons  who  fought  on  the  side  of  the  enemy.  Many 
of  the  Tories,  therefore,  left  the  country  with  the  British  troops, 
those  from  the  North  going  to  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia,  and  those 
from  the  South  to  the  West  Indies.  Years  after,  when  the  angry 
feelings  were  soothed,  numbers  came  back  and  settled  in  their  old 
homes. 

More  than  a  hundred  years  have  now  passed  since  Great  Britain 
acknowledged  the  independence  of  the  United  States,  and  the  ques 
tion  may  to-day  be  asked :  Can  we  not  afford  to  do  justice  to  the  men 
who  were  known  as  Loyalists,  or  Tories,  during  that  long  and  desper 
ate  struggle  ?  Were  they  all  scoundrels  and  traitors  to  be  thought 
and  spoken  of  with  detestation  ?  Probably  no  name  has  been  held 
up  to  school-children  as  so  utterly  abhorrent  as  that  of  "  Tory." 
They  have  been  taught  in  their  histories  and  readers,  as  well  as  in 
speeches  and  orations,  that  the  one  being  to  be  scorned  above  all  others 
was  he  who  being  born  in  this  country  took  sides  with  England  in  the 
war  for  liberty.  To  some  extent  this  feeling  is  natural  and  justifiable. 
Prof.  Moses  Coit  Tyler,  of  Cornell  University,  himself  a  descendant 
of  a  patriot  family  and  a  gentleman  of  high  culture,  has  lately  pub 
lished  a  thoughtful  article  on  the  subject  in  the  American  Historical 
JReview.  Quoting  John  Adams,  he  shows  that  New  York  and  Penn 
sylvania  were  so  evenly  divided  in  sentiment,  that  if  they  had  not 
been  kept  in  line  by  New  England  on  the  north  and  by  Virginia  on 
the  south,  "they  would  have  joined  the  British."  The  two  parties 
were  about  equal  in  North  Carolina ;  while  in  South  Carolina  the 
Tories  were  the  more  numerous.  Georgia,  as  we  have  shown,  virtu 
ally  swung  back  to  the  Crown,  to  be  regained  later,  but  the  people 
were  about  to  take  it  out  of  the  confederation  when  the  decisive  vic 
tory  of  Yorktown  occurred.  Lecky,  the  English  historian,  who  ap 
proved  the  separation  of  the  colonies  from  the  mother-country,  says 


CHAP.   XXXVII 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


575 


that  the  Revolution  "  was  the  work  of  an  energetic  minority  who  PERIOD  in 
succeeded  in  committing  an  undecided  and  fluctuating  majority  to 
courses  for  which  they  had  little  love,  and  leading  them  step  by  step 
to  a  position  from  which  it  was  impossible  to  recede."  John  Adams, 
one  of  the  most  ardent  of  patriots,  asserted  that  one-third  of  the 
people  of  the  thirteen  States  were  opposed  to  the  Revolution  from 
its  opening  to  its  close.  The  Loyalists  yearned  for  a  stable  govern- 


ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 

AMERICA 
1758 

TO 
1783 


WASHINGTON'S   PATRIOTISM 

ment  and  believed  that  it  would  be  best  obtained  under  British  rule. 
Among  the  latter  were  scholars,  church-members,  and  affectionate 
fathers.  Of  the  three  hundred  and  ten  Loyalists  banished  by  Massa 
chusetts  alone  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  many  of  them  to  meet 
unmurmuringly  great  hardships  in  the  wildernesses  of  Canada,  more 
than  one-fifth  were  graduates  of  Harvard  College.  It  should  be  re 
membered,  too,  that  the  leaders  in  the  revolt  hoped  at  first  not  for 
separation,  but  for  some  means  of  compelling  England  to  show  them 


576 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES     CHAP,  xxxvu 


PERIOD  III 

ENGLAND 
AND  FRANCE 

IN 
AMERICA 

1758 

TO 
1783 


Final 

Events 

of  the 

War 


Wash 
ington's 
Patriot 
ism 


more  justice  and  consideration.  Had  she  done  this,  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  as  we  have  stated,  would  have  been  deferred  rnany 
years,  and  probably  would  never  have  been  penned  at  all,  since  separa 
tion  was  sure  to  come,  but  it  might  better  have  been  a  peaceful  and 
an  amicable  one.  Yet  with  such  vast  odds  against  them,  how  much 
more  glorious  were  the  hardships,  the  sufferings,  and 'the  triumphs  of 
the  patriots  under  Washington  and  the  other  leaders  of  the  young 
nation !  That  America  was  to  be  free  was  "  writ  in  the  book  of 
fate." 

The  embers  of  war  burned  for  a  long  time  after  the  surrender  of 
Yorktown.  Savannah  was  not  evacuated  until  July  11,  1782,  and 
Charleston  not  until  the  I4th  of  the  following  December.  At  Ver 
sailles,  in  November,  1782,  the  independence  of  the  United  States 
was  acknowledged  in  a  provisional  treaty.  John  Oswald  was  com 
missioner  for  England,  while  John  Adams,  Benjamin  Franklin,  John 
Jay,  and  Henry  Laurens  represented  the  United  States.  On  the 
1 7th  of  April,  eight  years,  lacking  two  days,  after  the  battle  of  Lex 
ington,  Washington  was  ordered  to  proclaim  a  cessation  of  hostilities 
and  to  disband  the  army.  The  final  treaty  was  signed  at  Paris,  Sep 
tember  3,  1783,  and  the  last  British  troops  on  our  soil  sailed  from 
New  York  on  the  25th  of  November. 

The  lofty  patriotism  of  Washington  never  shone  with  more  splen 
dor  than  in  the  closing  days  of  the  great  struggle  for  independence. 
The  country  was  in  a  deplorable  condition.  Commerce,  trade,  manu 
factures,  and  almost  all  kinds  of  business  were  paralyzed  and  all  but 
ruined.  The  soldiers,  believing  that  they  were  about  to  be  disbanded 
and  sent  in  many  instances  to  desolated  homes  without  pay,  were  on 
the  verge  of  open  revolt.  They  petitioned  Congress,  but  the  treasury 
was  empty.  They  turned  to  Washington  and  invited  him  to  become 
king,  believing  that  in  a  monarchy  lay  their  chief  hope.  He,  how 
ever,  spurned  the  offer.  "  If  I  am  not  deceived,"  said  he,  "  in  the 
knowledge  of  myself,  you  could  not  have  found  a  person  to  whom 
your  schemes  could  be  more  disagreeable."  He  begged  them  not  to 
stain  their  splendid  services  by  any  rash  proceeding.  His  great  in 
fluence  prevailed  both  with  the  army  and  with  Congress,  and  the 
trouble  was  at  length  adjusted. 

Washington  bade  farewell  to  his  army  in  a  touching  address  and 
set  out  for  his  home  at  Mount  Vernon.  Stopping  at  Annapol's,  he 
on  the  23d  of  December  resigned  his  commission  to  Congress. 


CHAP.  XXXVII 


EVENTS    OF    1781 


577 


"  You  retire  from  the  theatre  of  action,"  said  the  president  of  Con-   PERIOD  in 
gress,  upon  receiving  the  commission,  "  with  the  blessings  of  your 
fellow-citizens  ;  but  the  glory  of  your  virtues  will  not  terminate  with 
your  military  command  ;  it  will  continue  to  animate  remotest  ages." 

37  1783 


AM™ICA 


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